


The Heart of Everything

by Clarrisani



Series: Breathe Trilogy [2]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-14
Updated: 2013-01-14
Packaged: 2017-11-25 11:49:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 34,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/638594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clarrisani/pseuds/Clarrisani
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been a year since Ianto left, and the team haven't been the same.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> 1) Sequel to "Leave You" from the last challenge.  
> 2) The soundtrack for this one is Within Temptations album "The Heart of Everything"  
> 3) This story is AU as it is set after season two, but everyone is alive and healthy - in other words, I've tweaked the events of season two to my liking. For one, the Grey storyline has been completely dumped, and some events never occurred...  
> 4) I was a little rough on Gwen during this fic. I apologise in advance to the Gwen fans out there. I didn't realise until later on.

Owen let out a heavy sigh, swinging the door of his flat closed behind him and dropping back against it. He rested there for a moment, muttering obscenities to himself under his breath before peeling off his jacket and stepping further inside, tossing the jacket over the back of a chair. He walked straight into the kitchen, opening the door and retrieving a beer. Opening it, he downed half of it in one go.  
  
"That bad a day, huh?"  
  
He snorted, lowering the bottle and turning, making a tiny distance between his thumb and forefinger. "I was this close to shooting the pair of them."  
  
"Now you know why I wanted some time off." Tosh stepped further into the room, towelling her hair dry and dropping onto the couch. "If they're not at each other's throats, they're making everyone else's life hell."  
  
"Tell me about it." Owen dropped down beside her, and with a little shuffling was positioned with his head in her lap, Tosh smoothing his forehead with light brushes of her fingertips. "I'm getting really tempted to try and hunt him down you know."  
  
"So am I." Tosh frowned, gazing into the distance. "Ianto always seemed to know exactly what sort of mood we were in and could defuse any problem before it even started."  
  
"I knew I should have asked how he did it." He opened his eyes, looking up at her. "Surprised they didn't ring you today when they couldn't get the system going."  
  
"Oh, they did. I just didn't answer." Tosh shrugged, tugging lightly at his hair. She sighed, shaking her head. "I don't know, Owen. I remember when it was just us, Jack and Suzie, and we never had problems like this."  
  
"Yeah, well Suzie knew when to keep her nose out of everyone's business," Owen pointed out. "Gwen has to shove hers in where it's not wanted and right now that's in Jack's business. And as for that bastard, he seriously needs to get over it."  
  
"I think that, aside from his Doctor, Jack's never been dumped before."  
  
"That's the impression that I get, yeah." He smiled at her. "Well, this year hasn't been all bad." He reached up, pushing back a stubborn strand of her hair. "This is working out all right, isn't it?"  
  
Tosh nodded, smiling when Owen pushed himself up to kiss her. They exchanged a couple more quick kisses before Owen's phone rang, Owen giving her an 'I'm going to kill them' look before pulling the phone from his pocket.  
  
"You have reached Owen Harper. Unfortunately he is rather busy right now, so can't come to the phone. Please leave a message and he'll decide whether or not to be bothered getting back to you."  
  
Tosh slapped a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud.  
  
" _Very funny, Owen._ " He rolled his eyes toward Tosh at the sound of Gwen's voice. " _I was wondering if you've seen Jack since we got back from the Castle_."  
  
"No, and I really don't care. He's probably on some rooftop somewhere wondering what sort of imprint he could make in the concrete if he jumped." Owen scowled. "God I hope he does."  
  
"He'd just come back to life again," Tosh reminded him.  
  
Owen rolled his eyes.  
  
" _I'm being serious, Owen,_ " Gwen said, voice tight. " _He's been so depressed lately, so I want to-_ "  
  
"Oh, leave him alone, Cooper." Owen scowled. "Look, he'll get over it in his own time. Hell, he probably would have been over it months ago if you didn't keep bringing it up all the time. He knows it's his fault Ianto walked out; he just needs to deal with it. What he doesn't need is some bossy, up-her-arse former PC trying to stick her nose in where it is least wanted. Now go home."  
  
"She'll probably yell at you now," Tosh said softly, all the while trying to keep from laughing.  
  
" _Owen Harper, just because you're an insensitive jerk doesn't mean we all are. I happen to care about making sure that Jack is okay. He took Ianto leaving very hard, and the last thing he needs is to be alone in this._ "  
  
"He doesn't need you to shag him, if that's what you mean."  
  
" _How dare you-_ "  
  
"Go home, Gwen." Owen rolled his eyes at Tosh. "Both Tosh and I have had Rhys on the phone bitching about the fact you're never there, so go be with him. He needs you more than Jack. Go. Home." He hung up again before she could answer, Owen switching the phone off. "Better turn yours off too."  
  
"Mines been off since around 10:30 this morning," she replied. "Gwen rang wanting to organise some sort of cheering up party for Jack. Then Jack rang to ask me to try and get Gwen to drop it. In the end I just switched off."  
  
"I wish we could bloody switch them off."  
  
She laughed. "I know what you mean."  
  
They shifted until Tosh was straddling him, her head resting on Owen's chest as she lay against him, his arms around her. She sighed, closing her eyes as he brought one hand up to gently smooth her still damp hair.  
  
"I wonder where he is," Tosh said softly.  
  
"A long way from here, probably," Owen answered. "Took some serious balls for him to leave and stay away so long."  
  
"He was in love with Jack, you know."  
  
"Yeah, I know." Owen watched her. "I'm starting to think Jack was in love with him."  
  
"So am I."  
  
They lay in the silence for a long while before Tosh tilted her head, spotting Owen watching her. He smiled, one she was all too happy to return before pushing herself up to hover over him. She planted a soft kiss on his lips, Owen kissing her back before they deepened it. Owen's fingers moved to undo the sash keeping her robe closed as she tugged at his shirt, dragging it over his head.  
  
Somewhere in the room Owen's landline began to ring. No one moved to answer.  
  
***  
  
Jack sighed, gazing out over the Cardiff night. The cool wind tugged at his hair, and had he been standing it would have caught his coat and tried to drag him off the edge. As it was he was sitting on the edge, on leg dangling into nothingness while the other kept him grounded onto the roof's surface.  
  
It was a clear night, with a cold wind blowing up off the Bay. The lights from the city clashed with the lights from above, the moon just a thin slit in the far distance. His eyes drifted from star to star, at the back of his mind naming them and for each one he'd visited remembering what it had been like.  
  
His eyes wandered downward, gazing out across the horizon. Somewhere below Owen and Tosh were probably asleep. Rhys was no doubt sitting around waiting for Gwen to finally come home, the woman probably still scouring the streets of Cardiff for him. She really didn't know how to take a hint, did Gwen. He'd told her on many occasions that he didn't need her help, but as always she couldn't take no for an answer.  
  
He'd once heard Owen mention offhand to Tosh that now Jack was available, Gwen would probably make a play for him. Sure enough it hadn't even been a week before Gwen had been hitting on him in full earnest, Jack ignoring her when he could. He'd had to stop sleeping at the Hub just to avoid her. For a while he'd stayed with Owen, but then Tosh and Owen had started dating, so Jack had found somewhere else.  
  
It probably wasn't healthy for him to live at Ianto's old place, but it was there and unoccupied so why waste it. Add the fact that Gwen had never actually found out where Ianto lived, and it meant he finally had a sanctuary away from her constant questioning and persistent need to think she had to look after him.  
  
She meant well. She always did. It was just in her nature to want everyone to be okay and to take care of them when she thought something was wrong. The only problem was she didn't know when to quit. Owen and Tosh had tried to drop hints, but she had ignored them and instead taken it as a sign that she needed to take even more care of him.  
  
He'd started having to switch his phone off. He'd upgraded it so that any alert from the Hub would still come through, therefore maintaining a level of security. There was also an override number – both Tosh and Owen had these numbers too, in case of emergency. They hadn't given the number to Gwen.  
  
Things had been even harder lately with Tosh finally starting to crack under the pressure of everything, so they had arranged for her to take a couple of weeks off. He had expected her to go on holiday, but instead she remained in Cardiff so she could be near Owen. He was slightly jealous of their relationship, even if it had taken them so long to wake up and realise what they had under their noses.  
  
He smirked, resting his head back against a pylon. He remembered how, sick of Gwen's flirting, he, Tosh and Owen had decided to mess with Gwen's head. Before Gwen had found out that Tosh and Owen were dating, they'd set things up to make Gwen think Jack and Tosh had something going. And just to mess with her further, he and Tosh had kissed rather passionately while Gwen was watching. Owen had later reported that the look on Gwen's face had been priceless.  
  
Nevertheless, they had ended the game when Gwen had started accusing Tosh of moving in on Jack while he was vulnerable. Jack had tried to point out that he was never vulnerable, but that had ended in a rather interesting fight. In the end Jack had sent them all home, and that had been the very last night he'd ever slept in the Hub.  
  
The wind picked up, almost knocking him back onto the roof and bringing him back out of his thoughts. He checked his watch, noting the late hour and sighing. It had been a long twelve months, that was sure. The cleanup from the Zarybok incident had gone without incident. He'd checked the hospital records and found that the little girl, Anya, had been claimed by her grandparents while the step siblings Jodie and Colin had returned to live with their aunt. Seemed no one else wanted them. That had to be hard.  
  
The man, Grant, had signed himself out and continued on his way. From what Jack could tell Ianto had also signed himself out and gone with him. After that the trail went cold. Ianto was gifted at covering things up; it had been his job after all, so it wouldn't have been hard for him to disappear. Especially if he had money stored in a second account they didn't know about. Jack certainly hadn't been able to find it, and that didn't surprise him.  
  
Jack closed his eyes, sighing heavily. One year, two months and eleven days since he'd watched Ianto walk away. Not that he was counting or anything. Since then everything had gone to shit. The first thing had definitely been the lack of coffee. None of them knew how to use the coffee machine, and after two weeks of failed efforts they'd bought a tin of instant and that had been that.  
  
Next had been the clutter. They really hadn't noticed it building up at first, but the moment they'd started tripping over empty pizza boxes and the bottom of their coffee mugs had started to look like it could support plant life they knew they had a problem. In the end they had set up a sort of roster system, each taking equal turns at cleaning. Didn't stop Owen from complaining, however.  
  
The next problem had been a little embarrassing. In the middle of chasing a car filled with aliens, the SUV had run out of fuel. Jack had forgotten that Ianto had been the one to keep an eye on that side of things, and had since taken it upon himself to keep the SUV in working order, if only to give the PD one less thing to tease them about. God they had never let them live that one down.  
  
The Tourist Information Centre had been a problem as well. They had all taken that role for granted, Jack having to shut the branch with a 'on leave' sign that was finally starting to fade. Whenever they needed to collect mail or parcels, Gwen usually found herself landed with the job. And they made her take the stairs, stating that the elevator was too loud. Sometimes he swore gullible was a word created just for her.  
  
They really had started taking Ianto for granted. Jack remembered vividly the way Ianto had practically begged for the job, stating he could be anything from guard dog, to receptionist, to butler. In a way he had become all those things and more, even if his original motivation had been to store a cyber conversion unit complete with cyberwoman in the basement.  
  
Jack's eyes cracked open, staring out over the horizon. There was one other thing about Ianto that had been taken for granted. Jack had just become used to having him there. Ianto had been many things to him, from someone who listened when he needed someone to talk to, a supportive shoulder to cry on, someone he could exchange wit with, to someone who wasn't afraid to stand up to him.  
  
Jack also just generally missed Ianto's company. When they were alone in the Hub and Ianto was standing working on something on his computer, Jack had liked to move up behind him and wrap his arms around him. Ianto had never jumped, almost as if he had known Jack was coming, and would continue to work. Sometimes they would stay like that for a long time until Ianto finished whatever it was he was doing or Jack was called away by either the phone or some other work related thing.  
  
He still kicked himself for never taking the time out to take Ianto out. They'd ended up having that dinner and a movie, and the night had been great. But they hadn't gone out since, instead going to either Ianto's place or generally just lounging around the Hub. It wasn't the same, and Jack knew that probably had something to do with Ianto's departure.  
  
He'd been planning it for a while, leaving. Ianto had told him so that night out near Caldicot. Without Lisa to keep him there, Ianto had stayed out of his own free will. Jack knew that those months leading up to it all had been hard, and losing his two best friends had been the straw that broke the camels back.  
  
Jack had never told the others the truth about that day. All they saw was him firing a weapon to destroy the alien threat, killing a group of innocent civilians in the process. What they didn't know was those civilians had been infected with a virus that would have slowly destroyed humanity, and the minute Jack had realised he'd fired off the shot. When everything was said and done he'd gone looking for the three that had managed to escape and seen to their 'accidents', thus destroying the virus.  
  
It had been bad enough doing that without the reaction of the others. Gwen was on his side, but the others had been against him. Everything had gone down hill from there, and that very moment Ianto had punched him and left him face down in the water at the base of the fountain he knew that things had gone from bad to worse.  
  
It had taken all that afternoon, driving out to Caldicot and defeating the Zarybok for Jack to slowly realise that things were about to change for good. What he hadn't expected was the inner strength Ianto displayed, continuing to walk away despite that last kiss giving away the fact that wasn't what he really wanted to do. That was what had made Jack finally confess his feelings.  
  
 _I don't believe you._  
  
Jack swallowed hard, closing his eyes. Never had words stung like those ones had. Jack hadn't felt so helpless and alone in over a century, not since he had run into the control room of the Gamestation just in time to see the TARDIS fading away, leaving him behind.  
  
He'd relived those words, Ianto's final words, many times over the year. He had tried to work out what it was that stopped Ianto from believing him, but knew that the only way he would ever find out was to ask Ianto himself which wasn't likely to happen for a long time, if ever.  
  
Jack sighed heavily, swinging himself up over back onto the roof, straightening his coat and heading for the stairs. Dwelling on the past was only going to continue dragging him down. Right now he needed to head back to his... Ianto's place and see about trying to get some sleep.  
  
He paused, gazing out over the horizon one last time. He just wished he knew if Ianto was okay.


	2. Chapter 2

"Had a message from Rhys," Jack said as Owen climbed into the SUV, the rain pattering lightly on the roof. "Gwen didn't go home last night."  
  
"Probably spent the night hanging around the Hub waiting for you," Owen replied. "Bitch kept trying to ring me."  
  
Jack frowned, pulling them back out onto the road. "Turn your phone off."  
  
"Did. She called the land line." Owen smirked. "First time I've ever seen Tosh threaten to shoot a phone."  
  
"First time, eh? Should have seen her during her second week. She threatened to shut down the entire telephone network."   
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Yeap. Took Suzie over an hour to calm her down, before Suzie went out and took care of the guy that kept calling her."  
  
Owen frowned. "Stalker?"  
  
"Basically. Alien stalker with a gift for reading telephone numbers. He just picked up a phone and 'ring ring', he had his prey."  
  
"Creepy." Owen pulled a face, gazing out at the rain. "So, what's on the menu, Boss?"  
  
"Mild yet unspecified alien technology readings," Jack replied. "My PDA went off an hour ago."  
  
"You know, if you don't want Gwen to find you, you shouldn't take the SUV." Owen looked at him. "Former PC, remember? She’s just gotta make one call to her cronies, and she'd have your location."  
  
"Ianto's place has a garage."  
  
"What the hell are you doing there, anyway?" Owen glared at him. "And don't start that 'it's empty' shit, Harkness. You're having enough trouble getting over him as it is."  
  
"Because it's either there, or the Hub." Jack shot him a quick look. "And right now I'd take the painful memories over Gwen's mother henning any day."  
  
Owen stared at him for another moment before turning forward. "Fair enough."  
  
They fell into a silence, just watching the rain and windscreen wipers as they travelled through the city. The threat wasn't that bad, so Jack just moved them with the flow of the traffic.  
  
"How's Tosh?" Jack asked.  
  
"Not as cranky as she was," Owen replied. "She's talking of coming back to work in a couple of days."  
  
"There's no rush while things are calm like they are."  
  
"She knows." Owen shrugged. "I reckon she's bored. Yesterday she pulled my PS3 apart and put it back together. I'm not complaining any. She souped it up so it has double the memory and loading speed. Gives me an edge in multiplayer. Other guys never know what hit them."  
  
Jack frowned. "Isn't that cheating?"  
  
"No rule against it."  
  
Jack's eyebrows rose as he took the next turn, taking them into downtown Cardiff. Checking his PDA quickly, Jack pulled them into a space beside a park. Without a word Jack and Owen climbed out, locking the SUV and heading in. Owen gestured to the figure sitting in the gazebo fiddling with something, and as they moved closer realisation began to dawn on them.  
  
The other turned, grinning. "Ah, there you are. I was wondering when you were going to show up." John pointed to his wrist device. "Got something else I need your help with."  
  
***  
  
Sometimes Gwen just hated men. Stifling the yawn with the back of her hand, Gwen dropped into her desk chair and stared at the screen. Once again it would seem that Jack and Owen were off on a mission without her, and all she had was a message on her phone saying "Alien Technology Alert. Taking Owen."  
  
This sort of thing had been happening a lot lately, and it was starting to concern her. Ever since Ianto had left Jack had been different, more withdrawn and closed about his feelings. It had been months since she had seen him flirt with anyone, save for that one time she'd walked in on him and Tosh kissing. She'd had a bit to say about that.  
  
Tosh was dating Owen now, so that made things less complicated and meant she could focus more on keeping an eye on Jack. Tosh and Owen didn't seem to really care about their boss’s situation, neither helping her whenever Jack disappeared for extended periods of time, and his disappearances were happening more often these days. She knew he lived at the Hub, but lately he hadn't been sleeping there. She hated to think where he was.  
  
Somehow Jack had also found a way to keep her from tracking either his phone or the SUV, and driving around she hadn't seen the vehicle parked anywhere. She was starting to wonder if it had a cloaking device that he hadn't told any of them about.  
  
Gwen knew that Owen at least was aware of Jack's mood. Only a week ago she'd heard him comment that their boss was "more emo than the tea-boy ever was" under his breath. It was true, in a way. Ianto had frequently slipped into bouts of depression, especially after what had happened with Lisa and when Jack had disappeared. But he'd never taken it to the extremes that Jack was.   
  
Gwen rubbed her eyes. She's spent the night looking for Jack, just wanting to make sure that he was okay. Tosh and Owen hadn't helped her, and Gwen had had to switch her phone off in order to ignore calls from Rhys. She knew he'd be angry.   
  
He'd already accused her of caring more about Jack than him, and when she had said that she just needed to make sure Jack didn't do anything stupid Rhys had turned around and said Jack was sick of her following him around and to leave it be, leading Gwen to believe Rhys had been in contact with the others. They'd ended up having a fight and she'd walked out. She'd call him later to apologise.  
  
Gwen turned her chair, glaring down toward the empty workstation at the foot of the stairs that led up toward the greenhouse. She was really starting to hate Ianto for leaving. In many ways he was right, but at the same time he was breaking the team apart. She'd asked Tosh when he had joined at one point, and had been mildly surprised to learn that it had only been a few months before she had. Given how much he knew about everything, she'd thought he'd been there for a long time.  
  
Then again, Ianto was smart. That was how he had managed to completely disappear. Gwen had tried to look for him, just to keep an eye on him and make sure he was okay, but there wasn't even the slightest paper trail to follow. It was like he had completely disappeared. They had all tried to find him at different points, she knew that, but even Tosh had had no luck.  
  
It didn't surprise her, really. If Ianto wanted to be found, he would, but given the way things were when he had left he wanted nothing more to do with Torchwood. He had hurt her when he had left, and she had dwelt on his words many nights as she lay in bed beside Rhys, watching him sleep. Ianto had lost everyone in the course of working for Torchwood, and she had not. She had had a taste of what it would be like back during the Abaddon situation, when Billis had killed Rhys, but then things had been reversed and he had been brought back.  
  
She tended to take Rhys for granted, and it was in some ways harder now that Rhys knew about Torchwood. When she had explained to him what had happened with Ianto, she had been surprised to find that Rhys took Ianto's side. He had just shrugged it off, said "I don't blame him", and then gone on to explain that in his shoes he would have done the same thing.  
  
That had also ended in a fight. They had been fighting a lot lately. Rhys, it seemed, was siding with Owen, Tosh and Jack in regards to keeping an eye on Jack, Rhys trying to convince her to stay at home and leave Jack alone. Gwen was starting to think that Rhys was spending more time talking to them than he did her. It annoyed her to no end.  
  
Shifting, Gwen hit a few buttons and scowled as she realised that the SUV tracker was on again. Of a night, once he left the Hub, Jack seemed to make a point of turning the tracker off, just like she could no longer track his mobile. She had already had a long debate with him over how safe that was given their jobs and what would happen if something did happen to him. He had simply reminded her that he was immortal, and that had been the end of that. At least for him.  
  
She scowled, leaning back in her seat. Unless they decided to let her know what was going on, Gwen was going to be in the dark. For now, she could only sit and wait.  
  
***  
  
Jack scowled. "What do you want?"  
  
"Well hello to you too." John stood, turning to meet Jack's eye and moving in. Jack took a step back, stopping John short. He pouted. "What? No hug?"  
  
"Christ, I thought we got rid of you," Owen said, glaring at the other. "Take a hike."  
  
"How rather rude." John pointed toward him. "I'd give that one a good slap, if I were you, Jack. Or do you reserve that for people you really like?"  
  
Jack let out a steadying breath, narrowing his eyes. "Cut the crap, John. Why are you back?"  
  
"Like I said: I need your help."  
  
"Maybe we don't want to help you."  
  
"No, you do." John raised a hand, cutting him off before he could reply. "It's an old friend of mine. Someone I was hunting for the Agency before they shut down. The girl tends to go from planet to planet, working her way in then destroying everything for the sheer pleasure of it. She tends to show up during a pivotal moment in time, and exploits it."  
  
Owen frowned, looking at Jack. "You know what he's on about?"  
  
"A Time Terrorist," Jack replied. "They're beings that take advantage of a planets weak point in time and then do some act of terrorism. Sometimes it's a cyber crime, sometimes its theft, sometimes its murder and destruction."  
  
"Well this girl is destruction, and she's been on the planet for the last six months now." John gestured around them. "Been wandering around the United Kingdom, just living her life between schemes. Thought she was off the hook until I ran into her. Been after her since she got here."  
  
Jack frowned. "Hang on, the Time Agency is gone. Why you still chasing this girl?"  
  
"She's unfinished business, and you know how much I hate that." John shrugged, dropping back into his seat and watching as Jack, then Owen, followed him. "I've been after the girl for three years, but the bitch keeps avoiding me."  
  
Jack raised a brow. "That still doesn't explain why you're here."  
  
"That's easy. _She_ is here." John gestured around him. "I almost had her cornered in Ealing, but she jumped on train and headed to Cardiff."  
  
"So, what?" Owen said, speaking up. "You've been hunting this girl on your own all this time?"  
  
"Ah, no." John shrugged. "Had some help. Just recently this journalist in Ealing gave me a hand. And then there’s Eye Candy-"  
  
"Ianto?" Jack's eyes widened as he leaned forward, grabbing John's arm. "You saw Ianto?"  
  
"Maybe." John smirked, patting the back of Jack's hand. "You sure know how to piss people off, don't you."  
  
Owen watched him cautiously. "How is he?"  
  
"Bill of health," John answered. "Mind you, the Plasmavore almost sucked him dry so he's a bit pissed at her, but he's otherwise fine."  
  
"Plasmavore?" Owen looked at Jack.  
  
"Shape-shifting, blood-sucking humanoid alien," Jack answered without missing a beat, still staring at John. "How'd he get mixed up in all this?"  
  
"He got himself mixed up in all this." John shrugged. "He told me what happened. He tried to stay out of it for a while, but got bored. That and he somehow keeps getting himself caught up in these things. Spent a bit of time together, me and him, hunting this bitch."  
  
"Where is he now?" Owen asked, noting the look on Jack's face.  
  
"He stayed in London." John was also watching Jack. He leaned back, resting his elbows on the back of the seat and stretching his feet out in front of him. "You honestly think he'd just come back to Cardiff after everything?" He waved it off. "Besides, he's still helping that reporter Smith clean up the mess the Plasmavore left in Ealing."  
  
Owen let out a soft breath of relief that Jack didn't notice, although John gave him a mild look of amusement.  
  
"So," John said, leaning toward Jack and giving him his best puppy dog impression. "You want to help me? Or should I just tear Cardiff apart looking for her?"  
  
Jack sighed, closing his eyes before opening them again and glaring at John. He stood. "Come on. We might be able to pick it up using our equipment at the Hub."  
  
Owen paused as he moved to follow, watching as John practically skipped along behind Jack like the puppy he had been pretending to be. _Love sick puppy, more like it_ , Owen thought to himself, frowning as he felt the back of his neck prickle. He turned, scanning their surroundings, spotting nothing but the misty rain. Shrugging it off, he headed for the SUV.  
  
***  
  
Gwen's hand unconsciously went for her gun the moment John stepped into the Hub. Jack waved her down before demanding John hand over his own weapons, the younger former Time Agent rolling his eyes and offloading his walking arsenal.  
  
"Gwen, we need to track someone down," Jack said, moving over to stop behind her at her workstation. "She would have arrived during the last couple of days."  
  
"What's he doing here?" Gwen hissed, pointing at John.  
  
"Never mind that, just open the locator program."  
  
"She bought the ticket under the name Ella Simpson," John said as he and Owen joined them. "At the time she was a dark haired beauty with chocolate skin and legs that went on for miles, but she's probably changed her appearance since then."  
  
"You mean dyed her hair," Gwen said.  
  
"A little more extreme than that," John said, looking at Jack. "What? You people never come across shape shifters before?"  
  
"Once," Jack replied. "It was more about breeding than drinking blood, though."  
  
Gwen's hand unconsciously went to her stomach. The program loaded, Gwen calling up the train booking records and beginning to search through them for the woman.  
  
"So why was the Agency after this Plasmavore, anyway?" Jack asked. "They usually don't bother with Time Terrorists."  
  
"Well, got to remember that Time Lords aren't exactly around to keep things in order," John pointed out.  
  
"Still one around," Jack said with a smirk.  
  
"Yeah?" John looked at him. "I thought they all got wiped out with the Dalek's."  
  
"One survived." Jack shrugged. "He's a friend of mine. He can't be everywhere at once, though."  
  
John gave him a knowing look. "You shagged him?"  
  
"Heh. I wish." He gestured toward the computer. "So the Agency began taking an interest in this one."  
  
"For starters, she drank the boss’s daughter dry," John began ticking them off his fingers. "Then she took out Masfore. Right after drinking the royal family, of course. Then she took out an Agent and stole her wristband."  
  
"So she can travel in time," Jack said.  
  
"Which puts her under the jurisdiction of the Agency. Besides, she'd already made it personal." John frowned. "She had a friend that ended up being taken out by the Judoon not too long ago, so she kinda holds Earth responsible for that which is why she came here."  
  
"Hospital on the moon," Jack said.  
  
John blinked. "You heard about that?"  
  
"Kinda hard to miss when it's all over the news." Jack looked at him. "I know a couple of people who were caught up in that. One of them was that Time Lord I mentioned."  
  
"Explains how they caught her, then." John's gaze returned to the screen, noting that Gwen had opened some CCTV from London. "I'm not sure what carriage she got on. I didn't arrive at the station until just after the train was pulling out, but I do know she picked up her ticket and boarded."  
  
"You hacked into the rail system?" Gwen asked.  
  
"No, Eye Candy did actually. That man is brilliant." He shot Jack a look. "I can see why you like him."  
  
Gwen turned, frowning. "Eye Candy? Isn't that–?"  
  
"Ianto," Owen finished. "He's still in London, apparently."  
  
"There she is!" John said, pointing to the screen and causing the others to turn. "Second last carriage."  
  
"So she definitely boarded the train," Gwen said, calling up the Cardiff station CCTV footage and keying in the train arrival time. "Let's see if she gets off."  
  
They watched until the last person had exited the train, the four exchanging quick looks before Gwen hit replay. They concentrated on each face, even watching the other carriages, but their woman never left the train. Gwen played the footage one more time with the basic version of the facial recognition program running, but when even that failed to pick her up, John growled.  
  
"I knew it. She's changed her appearance again. Means she's probably changed her name too." He scowled. "She does it every time she changes location. You have to wait until the bodies start showing up before you can really begin looking."  
  
Owen frowned. "Isn't there some other way of finding her?"  
  
"Well, she has got a couple of pets." He pointed to the footage. "You won't see them there, though. They make their own way, so they should be here within the next couple of days. She doesn't start killing until her pets arrive." He looked at Gwen. "Can you set something up to pick up any reports on unusually large dog sightings?"  
  
"Sure I can,' Gwen replied.  
  
"Large dogs," Owen said, staring at John. "That's all?"  
  
"Not actually dogs. Just look like them." He cast a look toward Jack, meeting the other mans eye. "We know them by the name of Carshy, but you people tend to call them Hell Hounds. You've heard of them, right?"  
  
Owen's eyes narrowed. "Large dogs, black fur, glowing red eyes, kill people."  
  
"You got it." He nodded toward the picture of the Plasmavore. "She has two of the little beasts. She used to have three, but Jones shot one up in Glasgow that was trying to eat me." He paused. "Although I've got to wonder who he was actually aiming for."  
  
"Whoever was closer, probably," Owen replied. "He does that."  
  
"I noticed."  
  
Gwen sighed, leaning back in her seat. "Okay, I've set up a tracker for any reports on the dogs. I'll also set up an advanced scan to go through the train passengers and see who doesn’t get off that got on in London."  
  
"Got to remember the stations along the way," Owen pointed out. "She might have got off at one of those."  
  
"No, she's in Cardiff." John spotted their looks. "Easier to kill and get away with it in largely populated areas."  
  
"True," Owen conceded.  
  
"Anyways, I might go do some scouting around. Didn't get to know the area last time I was here." John straightened, looking at Jack. "I got myself a mobile phone since that's the way these primitives contact each other. I'll give you the number."  
  
"Do you have somewhere to stay?" Jack asked  
  
"Hotel not too far from here," John replied. "Why? You offering a bed? Stay with you, maybe?"  
  
"Hardly."  
  
John slapped him on the rear and headed toward the door, pausing when he got there. "Any chance I could grab my weapons?"  
  
"I'll hang onto them for tonight," Jack said. "Be a good boy and I might give them back in the morning."  
  
"I like it when you take charge," John threw him a wink, grinning at the look Gwen and Owen gave each other as Jack levelled a glare on him. "See you in the morning then."


	3. Chapter 3

John scowled as he slammed the door behind him. He really didn't know what Jack saw in this planet. He'd gone out and had a good look around the area, spending all day and most of the night taking in Cardiff and getting to know it. It was part of his training as a Time Agent to know the terrain in case of a battle or chase, if only to know the hiding places and short cuts.  
  
Cardiff was very much like every other place he'd seen during his six months on Earth. Cold, wet, and altogether rather dull. There was no real excitement. Excitement to these people was getting a letter in the mail with their name on it that _wasn't_ a bill. Hell, for some of these people excitement was finding their name on the internet.  
  
The sex was good, though. Maybe not as innovative as some planets he had been on, but humans weren't exactly equipped with multiple tentacles that could do wicked things in places he'd never dreamed anything could ever go. Speaking of which, he needed to visit Yaxcudor again.  
  
He yanked open the bar fridge, gazing inside and scowling as he realised it was all weak shots. What he wouldn't give for a hyper vodka. It'd been over a year since he'd tasted that sweet nectar. Jack probably had some stored somewhere; Jack could make hyper vodka out of anything. Then again, that bastard was pulling the sobriety act.  
  
Slamming the door closed on the fridge, he straightened, rubbing the back of his neck. He scowled. He hated that first little bit before he had the trail. This Plasmavore was driving him nuts. It was like every time he finally had her cornered, she slipt through his fingers. She was the only hunt he'd never actually found. The one blemish to his otherwise perfect record. There had to be some sort of pattern, some way to find her before she killed again.  
  
"Keep thinking that hard and you might hurt yourself."  
  
He yelped, spinning and staring into the dark. He scowled as his eyes found the other sitting cross-legged on the end of the bed watching him. "Bloody hell. I thought I told you to stop doing that."  
  
"I thought you'd be used to it by now."  
  
John glared at him, leaning back against the bar fridge. "I thought you were staying in London."  
  
"The Carshy's left soon after you did, and Sarah-Jane said she could handle the rest. I figured you'd need my help."  
  
"I can handle this just fine."  
  
"Which, of course, is why you switched on your radio knowing that it would read as alien tech on the Torchwood scanners and bring Jack and the others running."  
  
"You know, Eye Candy, sometimes you can be really annoying."  
  
Ianto smirked, slipping off the bed and stepping further into the light and leaning against the wall, hands sliding into his pockets. "Find anything out yet?"  
  
"She changed her appearance on the train."  
  
"Nothing unusual there." Ianto frowned, resting his head back against the wall. "The Carshy's should be here within the next two days."  
  
"Or less, depending on whether or not they stop to eat." John watched him. "You know, I was expecting you to ask about Jack."  
  
"Jack's fine."  
  
John raised an eyebrow.  
  
Ianto turned his head slightly to look at him. "Jack's immortal. He's always fine."  
  
"Fair point." John stared absently toward the bed. "Saw two of your old colleagues. The medic and that dark haired woman. No sign on the Asian beauty."  
  
"Toshiko," Ianto frowned. "I'm sure she's around somewhere. Unless she's died during the year."  
  
"No, don't think so. Her desk was still set up. Had pictures up on it." John smirked. "Quite a few of you, actually."  
  
"Tosh and I were good friends."  
  
"Only?" John pushed himself up off the fridge, moving to stand in front of the other man. "From what I've seen you can be quite the player, Mr Jones."  
  
Ianto didn't even blink. "I haven't really been single since before I met Lisa. I guess I just wanted to remember what that life was like."  
  
"Well..." John placed his hands on either side of Ianto's head, leaning in and grinning. "What's it like?"  
  
"I suppose it has its advantages." Ianto shrugged, unaffected by John's closeness. "No worries about broken promises, no trust issues, no risk of being abandoned or heart broken."  
  
"No commitment," John brought one hand around to trail his fingertip along Ianto's jaw line, Ianto holding his gaze. "How can you not like that life?"  
  
"Because it isn't me." Ianto frowned. "You're from the 51st Century. It's in your genetics. It's not in mine."  
  
"Oh, I don't know. You've been doing okay so far."  
  
Ianto snorted. "You wouldn't know what commitment was."  
  
John raised an eyebrow. "Spent five years with Jack, didn't I?"  
  
"Trapped in a time paradox. It doesn't count."  
  
"Ooo. Ouch." John clutched his heart. "You wound me, Mr Jones."  
  
"Nothing wounds you," Ianto dismissed. "Well, perhaps being shot down by Jack."  
  
"Oh, low blow." John grinned, hooking his finger into the belt of Ianto's jeans. "You play dirty."  
  
Ianto smirked. "You like it."  
  
John chuckled and shrugged, leaning in and kissing Ianto hard. Ianto returned it, the kiss slowly becoming more heated. Ianto's hands fell from his pockets to grip John's arms, eventually sliding in toward his waist. John grinned against Ianto's lips, pressing in close and subconsciously aware Ianto's hand was moving again.  
  
He realised where it was going a mere second before the pain tore through him, John jerking back with a cry. Ianto held his grip for a moment longer before releasing him, John staggering back and clutching his side glaring at him.  
  
"Still hasn't healed then," Ianto commented.  
  
"What do you think," John commented, dropping to sit back on the bed, hissing through his teeth. "You're a sadistic bastard, you know that?"  
  
Ianto raised a brow. "You were the one boasting about how quickly you can heal."  
  
"From normal wounds. Cuts, scratches, that sort of thing." John stared him down. "You shot me."  
  
"You asked for it." Ianto reached for a bag near the door, removing a bottle and retrieving two glasses, pouring John one. "So, how is Jack?"  
  
"Fine, from what I can see," John said, cautiously taking the offered glass and downing a long drink from it. "He was very interested in my story once I dropped your name in."  
  
"Referring to me as 'Eye Candy'?"  
  
"Oh, always." John watched Ianto as the man moved to gaze out the window. "Don't you still have a place around here?"  
  
"Mm." Ianto let the curtain drop back. "Just came from there. It would appear Jack's been living there."  
  
"Okay, that man is more messed up than he lets on." John gestured with his glass. "You know, he once said something was wrong with me for keeping an ex's ring."  
  
"Nothing wrong with that."  
  
"Her finger was still in it."  
  
Ianto pulled a face.  
  
John smiled over the glass. "Exactly."  
  
"You are twisted."  
  
"As opposed to..."  
  
Ianto rolled his eyes.  
  
"I think he misses you," John said after a long silence. "And I think the others are aware of it. The dark haired woman... Cooper, wasn't it? She seems concerned about him."  
  
"Probably why he's sleeping at my place," Ianto guessed, taking another sip from his glass.  
  
"The other guy? Harper, I think his name was." He saw Ianto nod his confirmation. "Well, he seemed relieved to hear you hadn't come to Cardiff."  
  
"Owen was always on my side," Ianto said, finally moving from his place by the window to join John on the bed. "At least in terms of what happened."  
  
"Cooper took Jack's side, right? She has a thing for him if I recall."  
  
"That she does."  
  
"I don't think they're shagging," John frowned, downing the lasts of his drink and setting down on the floor. "That's the impression I got, what little I saw of them."  
  
"Oh, I doubt that."  
  
"I can read Jack," John pointed out. "I'm a con man. So's he. And one of the talents of a con man is to be able to read people." He watched Ianto finish his own drink. "You should know. You're one too after all."  
  
Ianto looked at him as he set his glass down. "I'm not a con man."  
  
"Like hell you aren't." John prodded him in the chest. "You manipulate people to get what you want, twisting the truth if you have too. You falsify records to cover things up, you move from place to place while leaving no way to be tracked. You set up accounts in false names, create false IDs..."  
  
"That was necessary."  
  
"That was a con." John dropped back onto the bed and kicked off his boots, watching him. "Tell me, have you always been able to know what people want before they know it?"  
  
Ianto frowned. "Most of the time."  
  
"Can you read what people are thinking just by looking at them?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"All the traits of a con man." John spread his arms out wide. "Nothing to be ashamed of. Welcome to the club."  
  
Ianto scowled, stretching out beside him. "I can't read Jack."  
  
"No, you can. You just don't want to." John rolled onto his side, fingers tugging at the buttons on Ianto's shirt. "That day you left. When he told you he loved you. What did you read from him then?"  
  
"Desperation," Ianto answered. "He was trying to stop me from leaving."  
  
John nodded. "Why?"  
  
Ianto's frown deepened. "I don't know. Probably because no one else can make good coffee."  
  
"You do make good coffee, but that's not it." John casually flicked open the top few button's of Ianto's shirt, leaning in to kiss his neck. "There's where your weakness lays, Ianto Jones. There's no room for denial."  
  
"Denial of what?"  
  
John simply grinned, kissing him hard and tugging Ianto's jacket back off his shoulders. Ianto kissed him back for a while, John's words still playing through his mind even as he pulled John's shirt over his head, and breaking another kiss he frowned.  
  
"John, denial of what?"  
  
John shrugged and kissed him again, Ianto realising that was all he was going to get out of the other man for now. Deciding to interrogate him later, he reached for John's belt.  
  
***  
  
Rhys pulled the car into an empty space, switching it off and sighing. It really shouldn't have to come to this. He got out, closing and locking the car behind him as he headed down toward the Bay. He entered a door at the bottom, unlocking it with a key and ignoring the 'closed' sign. He closed and locked the door behind him, reaching underneath the desk on the other side and hitting the button.  
  
He entered the secret door, still slightly impressed by how sophisticated the set up was. He moved down toward the lift, hitting the button and waiting for it to go down. He glanced around as he went down, thinking about how the elevator lacked music. He should suggest that to Jack – music for the elevator. He liked elevator music.  
  
Getting out at the bottom, he made his way along the corridor toward the large round door that rolled to the side automatically, the bars of the cage following suit. He glanced up, spotting Gwen at her desk and making his way around to the stairs.  
  
Gwen glanced up quickly, doing a double take as she saw him, eyes wide. "Rhys! How did you get in here?"  
  
He dangled the key from the end of his finger. "The guys thought I might need access since I hardly see you anymore. Figured I'd come see if you were all right."  
  
Gwen swung to her feet. "You shouldn't be here."  
  
"What? No hello? No 'I've missed you'?" Rhys stopped, frowning. "It's been three days, Gwen."  
  
She shook her head. "It hasn't been that long."  
  
"Yes, it has." Rhys looked toward her screens. "Can't be all that bad. No reports about any mysterious deaths or bright lights."  
  
Gwen straightened her top, glancing at her screen again then back at him. "Look, it's complicated."  
  
"I know that. It's been complicated since Ianto left." Rhys saw the look on her face. "Look, Gwen, I know you want to help Jack and all that, but you need to take a break. When was the last time you ate a proper meal or had a good night sleep, eh?"  
  
"I could say the same about him," Gwen muttered.  
  
"He's been sleeping just fine apparently." Rhys gestured behind him. "Besides, I had dinner with him the other night. He's eating fine too. Apparently the only thing wrong is he's worried that you're going to burn out. Now come on Gwen. Come home and we'll have a big meal and you can shower and have a rest."  
  
"No, Rhys, you don't understand." Gwen moved back to the computer, looking at the readouts. "I need to finish this."  
  
Rhys moved up behind her and looked at the information. "Looks automated if you ask me."  
  
"It is."  
  
"Then let it run." He reached up, setting a hand on the small of her back and giving her a concerned look. "You're as tense as anything."  
  
"It's been a hard day."  
  
"Well then, forget the shower. I'll run you a bath with those oils that you like. I'll even give you a massage."  
  
Gwen winced. "Remember the last time?"  
  
"I've done some reading since then. I think I should be right now." He sighed, looping an arm around her waist and kissing her gently on the forehead, glancing at the screen. "You're always telling me off for staring at the status bar thing on the antivirus."  
  
"Well if you stopped downloading all those free smilie programs we wouldn't have to run it all the time." Gwen sighed, leaning against him and tucking her head in under his chin. "Okay, I'll come home. But I'm going to set my PDA so that when this finishes I'll know."  
  
"Fine. I just want to see you take care of yourself." He pulled her gently away from the computer, glancing around. "Do you have to lock this place down or anything? Feed Myfanwy?"  
  
"No, Owen fed Myfanwy earlier, and the Hub shuts itself down. I just have to switch off the lights." She cast one look back toward Jack's office. "I just wish I knew where he was. He lives here, you know."  
  
"Who does?"  
  
"Jack."  
  
"He's fine, Gwen. At least from what I can see of him." Rhys gave her a quick look. "You know, I think I see more of him than I do you these days. Same goes for the other two."  
  
"I know, and I'm sorry." She paused by the door. "Look, you go out and I'll switch off all the lights. Can't have you tripping over in the dark."  
  
He nodded and headed out along the corridor once the door had rolled back. Gwen hit the light panel, the Hub's main lights reducing to leave the faint glow of the screens and emergency lights. She cast one last look at the empty office, and frowning she turned and left the Hub.  
  
***  
  
Jack gasped as he jerked awake, groaning and draping an arm over his eyes. Dammit. It had been a while since he had had a nightmare. That had been the real reason he avoided sleep, to escape them, but it had been almost two years since his last one.  
  
He'd stopped having them and started allowing himself to sleep not long after he and Ianto had gotten back together again. It had taken a little while to win back Ianto's trust after leaving him behind like that, but after that date and a couple of nights of just sitting and talking everything out they'd ended up here, making passionate love almost all night until they had collapsed.  
  
Jack had spent a good part of the remainder of that night lying awake, just watching Ianto sleep. He was beautiful, there was no denying that. He always had been. There was an unassuming grace to everything about him that drew Jack in, and a strong will and sound mind that made him so perfect.  
  
Jack had soon grown accustomed to sleeping, waking to find either Ianto in his arms, or himself in Ianto's. It had been strange to wake up alone to a cold bed again. It still felt strange.  
  
He sighed, sitting up and running a hand through his hair, casting his gaze around the dark room. The place still smelt of Ianto, even after all this time. Jack knew that in that in the wardrobe still hung those suits he liked so much, and out in the living room photographs of Ianto's family and friends still sat around.  
  
This place was still Ianto's, even thought Jack had pretty much moved in before Ianto had even left. They had never really discussed it; just that piece by piece Jack's things had made their way here. When Ianto had left, Jack had left them in hope Ianto would come back, only he never had. He hadn't even called, and Jack had pretty much given up hope. Ianto really did want nothing to do with the old life.  
  
Sliding from the bed, Jack brushed back the curtains and gazed out across the small yet practical garden. Of course Ianto grew his own vegetables, and Jack had to smile as he remembered teasing Ianto about being a little old lady tending the garden and that all he needed was a cat. Ianto had thrown a clump of dirt at him.  
  
Gazing up toward the gathering clouds, he took in the way the orange light of the city reflected off them. Ianto lived just far enough out of Cardiff city centre not to have the endless noise of the traffic, but still close enough that it didn't take him long to get to work during an emergency.  
  
Jack sighed heavily, resting his head against the window pane. It most definitely was not healthy for him to be living here, that was for sure. He was so often overcome with the memories, that by the time he left for the Hub he felt so down and hated himself for what happened that he knew Gwen picked up on it the moment he walked in the door.  
  
Maybe one day, when this was all over and he'd finally managed to move on, he'd thank her for being there, for always looking out for him. She always made sure he'd eaten, checking in on his wellbeing, generally making sure he wasn't doing anything to hurt himself. Those were the markings of a true friend, at least.  
  
It was the flirting that bothered him. He'd used to enjoy it, flirting right back and leading her on, but these days he just couldn't be bothered with it. For starters, Gwen was married to Rhys and Jack was rather fond of Rhys. They'd become rather good friends over these last few months, and Jack didn't want Rhys to get hurt. The man didn't deserve it.  
  
Sure Jack was attracted to Gwen – he always had been. But right now he really didn't think he could do anything. His mind was so distracted that the last thing he needed to add to his list of problems was lack of performance. It had happened once before, not long after he'd been abandoned by the Doctor, and it was an experience he didn't care to repeat.  
  
He frowned as he felt a niggling at the back of his mind, causing him to look up and out over the city. He blinked as it tried to attract his attention, and closing his eyes he focussed his limited amount of psychic ability onto that feeling. He grasped for it, catching hold and letting the meaning sweep over him.  
  
He gasped, eyes flying open as he straightened.  
  
"Ianto?"  
  
He was here. Jack was sure of it. He let his gaze sweep out over the darkened garden, then upward toward the sky. Somewhere out there, nearby, was Ianto.  
  
Ianto was in Cardiff.  
  
***  
  
Up in the hotel window, Ianto frowned and stepped back, allowing the curtain to fall closed once again.


	4. Chapter 4

"Oh you have got to be joking."  
  
"Hm?" Owen pushed himself up on an elbow, rubbing his eyes as the sheets slid down around his waist. He frowned as he spotted Tosh sitting beside him fully dressed, a laptop on her lap hooked up to her PDA. "What is it?"  
  
"I thought I'd check and see how the computer systems are running back at the Hub," she began, hitting a few buttons. "And what do I find? Someone has left them running during the night without the firewall switched on."  
  
"Have to be Gwen." Owen stifled a yawn, flopping back down and folding his arms behind his head. "Jack sleeps at Ianto's place, so there'd be no need for him to go back there."  
  
"Anyway," Tosh continued, fingers flying over the keys. "While they were down UNIT tried to hack in."  
  
"And?"  
  
"They broke through four of our security levels, which means they were able to access all our files on our latest acquisitions, which would include that fact we raided a UNIT warehouse a month ago."  
  
"Which would mean Jack's in for a rather nasty phone call," Owen said. "Nothing new there."  
  
"I've told Gwen to log off the system properly. And I've lost count how many times I've shown her to set up the firewalls."  
  
"We all forget sometimes."  
  
"She forgets most of the time."  
  
"My, somebody got up on the wrong side of the bed." Owen pushed himself back up, leaning over to look at the screen. "What you up to now?"  
  
"She left something running on her computer," Tosh said, hitting a few keys. "Search programs. One was the advanced facial recognition system trying to single out a woman who got on in London. Apparently she never left the train."  
  
"Interesting," Owen said. "We'll have to let Jack and that bloody Captain John know that."  
  
Tosh didn't even blink. "The other was a tracker on the local media, police, and animal welfare sites for anything on large black dogs."  
  
"That turn up anything?"  
  
Tosh hit a few keys, frowning and tapping the screen. "Apparently there has been a sighting of two large black dogs running at a considerable speed alongside the rail line."  
  
"Really?" Owen tried to get a better look. "When was that?"  
  
"Well, according to this it was less than an hour ago just outside of Newport."  
  
"Right."  
  
Owen swung out of bed, Tosh looking up sharply. "Where are you going?"  
  
"To check out this sighting." He scooped his pants up off the floor, pulling them on. He turned to look at her. "According to John, this bloody-sucking human thing only starts hunting when she has her pets, so the sooner we can locate them the sooner we can locate her."  
  
"Ring Jack at least," Tosh said. "Let him know where you're going."  
  
"You can do that, sweetheart." Owen picked his gun up off the bedside table, checking to make sure it was loaded. "Not like you have anything better to do with your time."  
  
Tosh shot him a look.  
  
***  
  
The problem was, despite having been with Ianto for over a year, he still knew next to nothing about the other man. He knew the basics, like what school Ianto went too, where he grew up and where he bought his suits, but other little things like where he hung out when he wasn't working Jack didn't have a clue about. He knew one or two places simply because Ianto had pointed them out while they were Weevil hunting.  
  
In fact, with every passing day since Ianto had left, Jack had realised more and more how much they had kept from each other. Jack had never told Ianto about his past, his interests, or the exact nature of his relationship with the Doctor. And he had no idea about Ianto's hobbies, who his friends were, or even if Ianto had any family left out there.  
  
If anything, it was making it hard for Jack to try and track him down. A feeling inside him told him Ianto was here somewhere in Cardiff, it was just a matter of trying to work out exactly where he was.  
  
Hearing his phone ring, he scowled, pulling it out and expecting to see 'Gwen' on the caller id, but slightly surprised to see an unknown number. Blinking, he hit receive.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
" _So you answer me on this primitive piece of technology, but if I call you on the wrist strap you put me straight onto voicemail_."  
  
Jack frowned. "How did you get this number?"  
  
" _Three guesses._ " He heard John sigh. " _Look, I know what you're up too, so don't even bother. You're not going to find him._ "  
  
Jack stopped in his tracks, ignoring those around him as he turned and made his way toward a secluded area of the main shopping strip. "Find who?"  
  
" _Don't play coy, you know who. Look, take it from me, if he doesn’t' want to be found he won't be. He pissed off on me about a month ago and didn't show up again until he was good and ready. Mind, I used every trick I knew to try and hunt him down, but he's too clever for that._ "  
  
Jack narrowed his eyes. "Do you know where he is now?"  
  
" _I do, but I'm not telling you._ "  
  
"John-"  
  
" _Look, let’s stop this and talk in person. Turn around._ " Jack frowned, turning and spotting John leaning against a wall just down the block, John raising his phoneless hand and giving a brief wave. " _Hello._ "  
  
Jack scowled, snapping his phone closed and heading back down the street to where John was sliding his own phone into his pocket. Reaching the other, Jack grabbed a fistful of John's shirt and threw him against the wall. "Where is he?"  
  
"Threatening me is going to do nothing but get me turned on. You know I like it rough." John smirked as Jack loosened his hold. "If he wants to see you, he'll make himself known. Right now he has other things on his mind."  
  
"Like?"  
  
"Hunting our Plasmavore." John levelled his gaze on Jack. "He knows you're looking for him, you know."  
  
"How can he know that?"  
  
"Gut instinct, he says." John frowned. "He says he always knows when you're looking for him. Has he had psychic training or something?"  
  
"Limited training with Torchwood One. It was part of their induction program to try and minimise the risk of brainwashing or control." Jack narrowed his eyes. "So you were lying when you told me he was in London. I should have expected that."  
  
"No actually, I was telling the truth. I thought he was in London too." John shrugged, brushing Jack's hands from his shirt and smoothing it down. "I don't think he actually arrived til sometime late yesterday afternoon. All I know is the bastard snuck up on me again."  
  
Jack watched him. "Snuck up on you."  
  
"For some reason he likes scaring the crap out of me." John turned to face him straight on. "What, he never did that too you?"  
  
"If you mean the 'one minute he's not there, next minute he is' thing, he does it to everyone. We just got used to not jumping when he does it." Jack smirked. "Why? Do you hit the roof when he does it, do you?"  
  
"Oh drop it." John sighed, shaking his head and rubbing the back of his neck. He let his gaze drift around the people rushing off to work around them. "So, any news on our little hunted friend?"  
  
"Tosh called. She took a look at the readouts from home. That woman never got off the train."  
  
"Figured as much."  
  
Jack nodded. "Tosh has adjusted the program to look for anyone who got off who didn't get on."  
  
"Yeah, about that." John pulled a face. "Remember she's a Plasmavore, Jack. She doesn't just drink the blood of her victims, she can assimilate them. Become them."  
  
Jack swore, rubbing his eyes. "I forgot about that little detail."  
  
"Thought you might have. You've been out of the game too long." John started walking toward the Bay area, Jack falling into step beside him. "Ella Simpson was originally a receptionist for a taxation agency who we thought had gotten caught up in it all. She hit on us, which is nothing new there, and we thought she was just an innocent caught up in it all... until she tried to kill Eye Candy, anyway."  
  
"You've mentioned that before," Jack said. "Was he all right?"  
  
"Oh, fine. He was out of the game for almost a week and rather pissed off about it all, but fine." John shrugged it off. "Not like it didn't happen to me. Our paths first crossed when I was about to be sucked dry myself and he scared her off. Guess it makes us even."  
  
Jack looked around, taking in the faces in the crowd and sighing heavily. "So our Plasmavore could be absolutely anyone."  
  
"Yeap. So keep an eye on your little team."  
  
***  
  
As he drove out of Cardiff toward Newport, Owen silently wished he'd asked John for a better description of these Carshy. Firstly, that way he'd know what the hell to look out for, and secondly, he might know how to deal with them. Then again, if Ianto could take one down, then Owen himself should have no problem whatsoever. He'd always been better in the field than Ianto.  
  
He gazed out along the road beside him, scowling as he hit another bump. It would have been so much easier to travel the M4, but unfortunately for him these creatures were running along the train line, and Jack still had the SUV. It was like life was working against him right now. Then again, as Tosh said, it could just be him and he needed to get over it.  
  
Spotting something, he slowed and pulled onto the side of the road. Climbing out of the car, he snagged his binoculars from the seat beside him and gazed into the distance. That was them. It had to be them. They were in a field just up ahead and appeared to have stopped to kill a cow. There wasn't much left of the animal now, the two beasts just picking at the carcass.  
  
He lowered his binoculars and frowned. They were the stuff of folklore that was for sure. Two great beasts that, if he were standing beside them, had to come up to just above his waist. From here their eyes did look like they were glowing, their fur pitch black and their teeth currently dripping with blood. They were on their way to accompany Death in the shape of the Plasma thingy John was hunting.  
  
Narrowing his eyes, Owen slid back into his car and pulled out his gun, setting it in front of him on the dash before putting the car into gear and pulling out. He drummed his fingers on the wheel, wondering how close he could get before they would notice him. He considered his options, deciding to take out at least one of them before gunning it out of there. The other one could lead them back to this woman, and they'd only have to contend with one of the Carshy then.  
  
Once he was within range, he pulled over onto the side of the road and switched off his car, picking up his gun and getting out. He looked up, stopping when he realised that in the brief moment he'd looked down to grab his gun, they'd gone. He frowned, casting his gaze around and pausing when he heard the soft rumble of a growl behind him.  
  
He turned slowly, bringing his gun up only to let out a cry as a heavy weight hit him on the side. He stumbled, finding himself involuntarily moving away from the safety of the car but somehow managing to remain upright. He tightened his grip on his weapon, glad that he hadn't dropped it and swinging it in the direction of the attack, again only to find that again there was nothing there.  
  
He swore, slowly moving back toward the safety of his vehicle only to stop at the sound of a nearby howling. He let out a steadying breath, swallowing a lump in his throat before beginning to move again. It would have been safer to stay in the car while there was no one to cover his back. Coming out here alone wasn't his brightest idea, that was for sure.  
  
Something hit him in the centre of the back, sending him forward onto his knees. He swore again as his gun fell from his grip and slid along the uneven ground to stop just out of reach. He made a dive for it, only to stop as a large, padded foot fell into his line of sight. His eyes widened as he looked up to discover himself staring into the glowing red eyes of a Carshy.


	5. Chapter 5

Tosh frowned at the persistent knocking on the front door, setting her laptop aside and straightening her shirt when she stood up she made her way toward it. Herself and Owen weren't officially living together as yet, often switching between whose place it was that they stayed in. It usually depended on who had the most food and who lived closer, but while she had had time off she'd been at Owen's to make it easier for him since he was still working.  
  
The neighbours all knew her now, so she no longer felt awkward answering the door to a place that wasn't hers. Already she'd had one or two neighbours call by over the last week or so, most to see if they were having the heating issue too (they were), but hearing the knock now she knew it wasn't a neighbour.  
  
Opening the door, she wasn't the least bit surprised to see Gwen.  
  
"We need to talk," Gwen said, stepping into the flat before Tosh could even say anything.  
  
"Shouldn't you be at work," Tosh replied, closing and locking the door behind her.  
  
"I just came from there," Gwen said, spinning to look at her. "I discovered someone had been on my computer."  
  
"Well that's entirely impossible, because Owen hasn't been in and Jack doesn't usually touch our things without good reason."  
  
"Yeah, I know that." Gwen looked pointedly at Tosh's laptop. "Which is why I guessed remote access."  
  
Tosh had to fight to keep from rolling her eyes. "I'm the system administrator," she reminded her. "I logged on the check that all the systems were functioning properly while I've been away, and discovered you'd left the firewalls down again."  
  
Gwen shook her head. "No, I definitely turned them on."  
  
"Well you mustn't have," Tosh picked up her laptop, turning it so Gwen could see. "I've spent the last hour trying to find out exactly what UNIT stole from us."  
  
Gwen was silent for a moment before looking at her. "Perhaps UNIT turned the firewall off themselves."  
  
"Impossible." Tosh hit a couple of keys, looking at the readouts. "Like I said: impossible. From what I can see, no aggressive attack was made on our system. They simply slipped in without any resistance, meaning that the firewalls were off and had been switched off from the inside. I'm guessing you left them off so that the search program could continue to run, or you were distracted in the process of turning them on."  
  
"Well..." A sheepish looked flickered across Gwen's face, followed quickly by a frown. "Do you know how Rhys ended up with a key to the Hub?"  
  
"Owen gave it to him," Tosh answered, scrutinising a readout and sitting at the table, setting the laptop in front of her. "Why would UNIT want our personnel files?"  
  
"But why would he do that? Why would Owen give him a key?"  
  
"Because Rhys was worried about you." Tosh began a back hack on UNIT, nodding to herself. "Well, they didn't seem to get them. Good."  
  
"I still don't understand, Tosh." Gwen shook her head, pacing and rubbing the back of her neck. "It's dangerous. If Rhys came in during an attack..."  
  
"The Hub is the safest place in Cardiff," Tosh reminded her. "In all of Wales too, probably."  
  
"But still, Jack won't be happy about it."  
  
"Jack gave Owen permission to do it when he asked." Tosh leaned back in her seat, eyes flying over the data scrolling up her screen. "Well, it would appear they did manage to get their hands on a detailed list of all the weapons we've collected, and are currently putting together a request to the Prime Minister to have them taken off our hands."  
  
Gwen frowned, moving to stand behind her and look at the screen. "Why would they want to do that?"  
  
"For their own testing and use, probably." Tosh looked up at her. "I wouldn't worry too much about Rhys. From what I can see he's a good man, and I doubt he'll do anything really stupid."  
  
Gwen looked at her sharply. "Are you implying he'll do something stupid?"  
  
"Don't we all?"  
  
Gwen considered this and had to concede the point to her. She sighed, glancing at her watch and scowling. "You know, I haven't heard from either Owen or Jack since last night?"  
  
"Owen's gone to check out a sighting of those large dogs you're running a search on. To see if he can confirm if they are the right ones." Tosh looked up at her. "I'm sure Jack's making his own enquiries regarding the Plasmavore."  
  
"You haven't been into the Hub for over two weeks and you still know what's going on."  
  
Tosh smiled. "It's my job."  
  
Gwen sighed, moving toward the door. "I'm going to go look for Jack. I'm sure between us we'll be able to find out more than he can on his own."  
  
"Just remember Jack's been doing this a lot longer than us," Tosh reminded her. "Before he left Ianto showed me a record that indicated that Jack has been working on and off with Torchwood for over a century. I think he can handle it."  
  
"I'm sure he can." Gwen unlocked the door, pausing to look back at her. "Still, four eyes are better than two. Good to see you, by the way."  
  
"You too."  
  
As Gwen disappeared out the door, Tosh rolled her eyes. Sometimes Gwen seemed to forget that Tosh had been doing this a lot longer than her too. Shrugging it off, Tosh went back to work.  
  
***  
  
"Nice doggy," Owen slowly backed away, fully aware that the other one could be close by. "Who's a good boy then? Good dog."  
  
The Carshy growled, lips pulling back in a snarl to reveal a line of sharp, shining teeth, still stained with the blood from its last meal. Owen's eyes darted down toward his gun, then back up as the Carshy took a step toward him, its fur bristling as it lay its ears back.  
  
Owen let out a quick breath, wishing he'd packed his spare gun. He glance backward toward his car, eyes widening as he finally spotted the second Carshy. He was, in all manners of speaking, trapped. If anything, these creatures were far from stupid. They knew how to hunt and capture.  
  
Hearing another snarl, Owen gasped as he realised that the first Carshy was almost right against him, Owen feeling its hot breath against his skin. He was partly glad that it was daylight, as it meant that he could see what he was up against, and damned if he ever wanted to be caught with these two during a dark night.  
  
Owen took a long step back and to the side, trying to put himself in a position so he could see both creatures, but they were too clever for that. The one by the car came forward, keeping itself between him and his means of escape, while the first shifted around to keep Owen between them.  
  
"Why couldn't you be stupid," Owen muttered, only to let out a small cry as he was hit hard by a swipe that sent him spinning to the ground, pain blazing through him. He scrambled back to his feet, only to have them knocked out from under him. He scowled, glaring at the creatures. "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?"  
  
The first beast moved in on him, snapping at the air. Owen closed his eyes, knowing it was hopeless. He jumped at the sound of the gunshot, eyes flying open at the yelp of the creature. They spun around, snarling at the figure standing near Owen's car.  
  
The empty rifle cartridge dropped smoking to the ground, the other reloading the barrel with a click and raising it, firing off another shot at the feet of the creatures. They backed up, snarling and snapping before turning, taking off at a fast clip toward Cardiff.  
  
"They won't continue the attack without orders. You okay?"  
  
Owen could only stare at the other, who rested the rifle against Owen's Honda and approached. He held out a hand, Owen accepting it and allowing himself to be pulled up, using the momentum to catch the other in a tight hug. Right now he couldn't care less that the other hated hugs, especially from him.  
  
"I am so glad to see you." Owen stepped back, slapping him on the shoulder. "Christ, Ianto, you've had us worried."  
  
"I am able to take care of myself," Ianto reminded him, beginning to move back in the direction of the car. "I'm also not the one who works directly over a Rift."  
  
"Where’ve you been?" Owen asked, then stopped dead as he spotted what Ianto was driving. "And where the bloody hell did you get a Bentley?"  
  
"It's John's," Ianto replied, casting his gaze over toward the car. "Nice ride, actually. It gets rather interesting taking corners when you have the traction control off while doing 100 miles an hour."  
  
Owen just stared at him.  
  
Ianto smirked, picking up the rifle again. "It turns out he's been to the planet before and stored some money away. It collected interest over time and he's sitting on a rather healthy sum. More than enough to buy and maintain a Bentley with enough change that he could buy himself a Veyron if he wanted too."  
  
"Don't see the point. Couldn't drive it on these streets anyway. Too many turns and curves." Owen glanced around. "So, they gone?"  
  
"Yeap. Probably won't stop until they hit Cardiff now." Ianto looked after the Carshy. "Have you located her yet?"  
  
"Not when I left. Tosh was still looking into it." Owen moved to retrieve his own gun, inspecting it for damage before flipping the safety back on. "So... how'd you find me? You follow me or something?"  
  
Ianto raised a brow. "The Hub firewalls were down so I was able to hack in easily without triggering the alerts. I thought Gwen would know better by now."  
  
"Yeah. Tell me about it." Owen tossed the gun onto his passenger seat, leaning against the car. "So... want to visit Tosh?"  
  
Ianto smiled faintly. "It would be nice to see her again."  
  
"Great. Let's go." Owen moved to get into his car, stopping and turning, calling Ianto's attention back to him from where the other man was on his way to his own car. "You might not want to mention the firewall thing."  
  
"I haven't been gone that long," Ianto opened his door, meeting Owen's eye. "I won't say a word."  
  
***  
  
"Okay, so let me get this straight," Jack said, looking at where John was sipping his coffee on the other side of the cafe table. "Six months ago you picked up traces of the Plasmavore and came to Earth to hunt it, and while you were hunting it you ran into Ianto and since then the two of you have been working together?"  
  
"That's it," John said, watching him. "You’re finding it that hard to believe?"  
  
"Ianto left Torchwood to get away from this life," Jack said, remembering Ianto's words that night outside Caldicot. "There was too much death. He wanted to get away from it."  
  
"He wanted to get away from _you_." John set his mug down, meeting Jack's eye. "He told me everything, Jack. It took some prying, but I got it out of him. And honestly, I don't blame him. You do have a tendency to kill those around you, whether you mean to or not."  
  
"Didn't kill you," Jack pointed out.  
  
"You damn well tried." John leaned back in his seat. "What about your partner before me?"  
  
"That was complicated."  
  
"You shot him," John said, shrugging. "Not that complicated."  
  
"He was trying to kill me," Jack reminded him.  
  
"You slept with his girlfriend," John said. "Oh, and his sister. And his mother. And brother." John frowned. "If I recall you also slept with his grandmother. Now, I'm not one to judge, but that's taking it a bit too far–"  
  
"John." Jack shot him a firm glare, ignoring the smirk on the other’s lips. "I'm not proud of my past, I admit it, but I've changed since then."  
  
"Not really." John gestured around them. "How many people have you sacrificed, Jack? How many people have died while you were trying to 'protect' them? How many families have been destroyed because you had no other choice?"  
  
"That's not fair."  
  
" _Life_ isn't fair." John leaned forward. "Case and point, me and you. We worked so well together. We had something. But you don't do relationships, do you. You can't handle commitment. And by the sounds of it, you still can't. You haven't changed as much as you think you have."  
  
Jack glared at him, raking his mind for a reply. Evidently Ianto had told John about the 'date' thing, or rather, the lack of dates. Setting his jaw, Jack picked up his own coffee and took a long drink, wishing it was laced with brandy or something stronger. It certainly didn't help that Jack had a nagging feeling that John and Ianto were a little more acquainted than just talking.  
  
"Jack!"  
  
Jack sighed heavily, closing his eyes and setting himself before looking up and meeting the furious gaze of Gwen as she strolled toward him. "Shouldn't you be at the Hub going over the search data?"  
  
"Turns out Tosh is doing that at home," Gwen said, stopping to glare down at him. "Shouldn't you be out looking for the Plasmavore?"  
  
"John was just telling me everything he knows about her," Jack said, leaning back and taking in her annoyed posture. "Until we can actually identify her, we won't be able to hunt her down."  
  
"You were probably interrogating him about Ianto," Gwen retorted.  
  
"Well, I am working with him, so he had to come up," John said, grinning and winking at Jack when the other man picked up on the play on words and shot him a glare.  
  
Gwen also picked the reference, giving John a hard look before pulling up a third seat and sitting down. "What do we know?"  
  
"Only that it's going to be hard to find her because she will be wearing the face of someone who got on the train," Jack said.  
  
"Okay, so that rules out using the facial recognition system," Gwen said, thinking. "Is she able to copy a humans mind?"  
  
"No," John said, watching her curiously. "Why?"  
  
"Well, she can't exactly step into their lives if she can't." Gwen seemed to notice they still hadn't caught on. "We can run a search on missing persons, or see if there are any reports of people acting strangely. You know, check peoples work email and such."  
  
"Not bad," John said, gesturing toward her. "I see why you hired her."  
  
Jack nodded, picking up his mug and downing the last of his coffee and standing, John hurrying to follow suit. "Okay, let’s go back to the Hub and start running those checks."


	6. Chapter 6

"I can't believe she said that."  
  
"And that's not all she said." Rhys leaned back against the table, resting his beer down as he looked at Tosh. "Apparently I'm asking to get myself killed if I keep hanging around the Hub, so if I do I deserve it."  
  
"The Hub is one of the safest places in Cardiff," Tosh huffed, scowling. "If there's ever any trouble in there, it's because one of us brought it in."  
  
"That's what I said. But did she listen to me?" Rhys sighed, taking a quick drink before continuing. "And then first thing this morning she gets up and leaves without so much as an explanation as to where she was going. No doubt off to look for Jack, despite her promising me last night she was finally going to let it go."  
  
"She made the same promise to Owen and I a month ago," Tosh said. She sighed, moving toward where the kettle had finally finished boiling and gathering things to make coffee. "Well, at least you tried."  
  
"And I'll keep trying," he said. "If she keeps this up she's going to burn out. I'd hate to see what she's like at work."  
  
"She's been rather frustrating," Tosh laughed to herself. "That's why I had to take time off. I was afraid I'd shoot her."  
  
"At the moment I wouldn't mind taking a pot shot myself," he admitted, looking up as the door opened and spotting Owen. "Haven't seen Gwen by any chance?"  
  
"Sorry mate," Owen nodded his greeting, then grinned and pointed over his shoulder. "Take a look at who I did find."  
  
Tosh gave a short cry, rushing across the space and throwing her arms around Ianto. He laughed, returning the embrace as Owen closed the door. Ianto threw an amused look at Owen. "I'm beginning to get the impression that I've been missed."  
  
"Mate, things went to shit when you left." Owen shook his head, wandering over the fridge and retrieving his own beer. "I never really paid attention to how much you actually did until there was no one there to do it."  
  
"We'll have to fill you in," Tosh said, finally stepping back and tugging him further into the room.  
  
"Even I noticed," Rhys said, extending a hand that Ianto accepted. "Good to see you're all right."  
  
"I'm a little surprised to see you here," Ianto admitted.  
  
"Rhys is almost one of us these days," Owen said, tossing the bottle top in the direction of the bin. "Save for being on the Torchwood pay roll, of course."  
  
"Given what you lot do, I think I'll stick to lorries," Rhys said.  
  
Ianto smiled. "Wise decision."  
  
"Want a beer?" Owen asked, gesturing into the interior of the fridge.  
  
Ianto nodded, catching the one Owen tossed his way before the four moved into the living room. They sat around, Rhys and Ianto sitting on one couch while Tosh and Owen curled up on the other, Ianto raising a questioning eyebrow when he spotted it.  
  
"We've been together a few months now," Tosh explained.  
  
"I was wondering if you two would ever get together," Ianto said, stretching his legs out in front of him. He took a sip from his beer, glancing toward Tosh's computer. He spotted Owen's warning look and gave him a reassuring smile. "So how come you're not at the Hub, Tosh?"  
  
"Taking some time off," she said. "I haven't had a holiday since I joined six years ago, so I thought 'why not'."  
  
"But you stayed in Cardiff?"  
  
"Well, I didn't want to leave Owen." She smiled at the man in question, who returned it, threading his fingers through hers. She looked back over at Ianto. "How have things been for you?"  
  
"Rather busy, actually." Ianto frowned. "I only managed about a month-and-a-half before I ended up being caught up in it all again. Been doing a bit of freelance work, which, of course, includes hunting the Plasmavore."  
  
"Yes, that." Owen narrowed his eyes. "You're working with John?"  
  
"I am."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Our paths crossed, and we realised that in order to defeat it we needed to work together." Ianto shrugged. "We formed a truce of sorts. He's not that bad a guy once you get to know him."  
  
"Yes, but..." Owen pulled a face. "Doesn't he drive you mad?"  
  
"No more than Jack ever did." Ianto paused, considering that. "Okay, slightly more than Jack did. But I think I have John on something of a leash now. He knows where the line is."  
  
"Who's John?" Rhys asked.  
  
"Old flame of Jack's," Tosh replied. "From long ago. Back before Jack joined Torchwood in fact. He came to Earth a while ago and betrayed us. Apparently now he's on our side."  
  
"Well, I wouldn't say our side exactly," Ianto said, trailing his thumb over the lip of the bottle. "We have a common enemy. Once the Plasmavore has been dealt with I wouldn't be altogether surprised if he turns on you."  
  
"But not on you." Owen stared at him. "What, you shagging him?"  
  
Ianto didn't speak, levelling his gaze on Owen.  
  
"Oh my god, you are," Tosh said, straightening. "But Jack–"  
  
"Is no longer my problem," Ianto finished, grip tightening around his drink.  
  
"Ianto," Tosh lips formed a tight thin line as she looked at him. "Jack hasn't had anyone since you."  
  
"Admittedly, Gwen's tried," Owen said, meeting Rhys' eye and not seeing any real surprise, just acceptance. "Jack keeps turning her down. Turns everyone down, actually."  
  
"Like I said, not my problem." Ianto raised his beer to his lips. "Jack had his chance. He blew it."  
  
"You're still in love with him though," Tosh said.  
  
Ianto looked at her sharply.  
  
"I think he's in love with you too, mate," Owen said softly. "I think it took losing you for him to realise it."  
  
"He never stopped trying to find you," Tosh continued.  
  
"They're right," Rhys said, watching the younger man beside him. "He took it hard. I mean, he's even living at your place now. He says it's because he's avoiding Gwen, but I reckon he's waiting for you to come home."  
  
Ianto set his jaw, lowering the bottle, knuckles white as he glared at the spot in front of him. "I came here to find the Plasmavore."  
  
"Yeah. We know." Owen gave him a sympathetic look before clearing his throat, patting the back of Tosh's hand. "Okay, so what do we have?"  
  
***  
  
"So did you have anything to do with the design of this place?" John asked, gesturing toward the fountain.  
  
"No," Jack looked at him. "Why?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know." John raised his eyebrows. "Big vertical fountain strutting up directly above the base. Looks like someone’s compensating for something."  
  
Jack scoffed. "You know I've got no need to compensate for anything."  
  
"Oh, I know." John smirked. "Bit cold here, though. Cardiff. Might cause some permanent shrinkage if you hang around long enough."  
  
Gwen had to fight back the laughter as Jack glared at John, taking a swipe at him. John laughed, ducking away and hooking his thumbs through his belt as they continued across the Plass toward the elevator entrance to the Hub. They were almost there when John slowed, frowning.  
  
Gwen turned to look at him, noting that he was staring across the Plass. "What is it?"  
  
"Just thought I saw something," John replied, shaking it off. "You have camera feeds down in your base, right?"  
  
"Access to all of Cardiff's CCTV coverage," Jack confirmed. "Why?"  
  
"Just need to check something. I'm so sure I saw..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Never mind. Let's just check the footage."  
  
They didn't speak as they headed down, John glancing toward where he was sure he'd spotted something until they were below street level. Jack frowned, watching him as they stepped off at the base, John following Gwen over to her desk.  
  
"You're very sure you saw something," Jack observed.  
  
"When you've been hunting this thing as long as I have, you tend to get a little jumpy," John replied. "Especially considering how she has a tendency to sneak up on you and bite you in the neck."  
  
Gwen turned to look at him. "Like a vampire?"  
  
"Where the stories come from, Sweetheart," John scowled. "Only this one uses a straw."  
  
"Sounds like another Plasmavore I've heard of," Jack muttered.  
  
"Friends, remember?" John said.  
  
"True."  
  
"Right then." Gwen called up the CCTV footage. "Where do you think you saw something?"  
  
"Under the bridge," John replied. "In the shadows there."  
  
Gwen hit a few keys, bringing up that footage and rewinding it back to when they had been moving across the Plass. Jack frowned, leaning forward. "Gwen, can you zoom that in?"  
  
"I see it." Gwen hit a couple more keys, centring the image onto the movement, bringing it up closer. "That's a...."  
  
"A Carshy," John confirmed, pointing. "The second one is just behind it. They got here quicker than I thought they would."  
  
"Someone’s with them," Jack said. "Gwen?"  
  
"I'm working on it."  
  
They watched as the image zoomed in on the half hidden form, the pixilation smoothing out before zooming in further. Gwen hit a couple more buttons, isolating the face and raising the light, giving form to the image. John grinned as the face came into view, knowing they had their woman.  
  
"Can you identify her?" John asked, taking out his phone and taking a picture of the image.  
  
"Hang on." Gwen ran the image through the facial recognition program, a name and details popping up on the screen. "Got it. Her name is Christina Ryder. She's from Newport, but commutes to Cardiff twice a week to work as a nurse in the Outpatients ward at the hospital." Gwen called up another window, fingers flying across the keyboard as the information scrolled across the screen. "She didn't check into work this morning."  
  
"That's our girl then." John glanced at his phone as he got a message back to answer his picture message. Reading it, he looked at Gwen. "Any chance of printing out the details?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
Gwen hit print, John picking up the documents and moving away as he hit a speed dial button on his phone. "You'll excuse me."  
  
He felt Jack's eyes on his back as he moved down into an isolated area of the Hub, knowing that Gwen and Jack were watching him and wishing he could take a picture of the look on Jack's face. Hearing an answer on the other end of the line, John set his jaw.  
  
"It's me. I got those detail's you wanted."  
  
***  
  
"Well?" Ianto leaned against the wall, hearing Tosh, Owen and Rhys chatting behind him as they debated something on the tv. "What do you know?"  
  
" _Christina Ryder. 28-year-old nurse from Newport, in Cardiff to work at the hospital for the next couple of days. She has a local address in an apartment complex near the Bay. No car to speak of since she apparently lost he license a month ago after trying to run her ex-boyfriend down. Sounds like my type of girl._ "  
  
Ianto rolled his eyes. "Any family in Cardiff?"  
  
" _No... not that I can see. She's from Hastings, originally, but came to Wales to do her university course and never left. Not much money, and it seems she's been paying off a credit card debt. Ooo, shoplifting conviction a couple of years back. You two have something in common._ "  
  
"Need I remind you that she's a Plasmavore," Ianto said, scowling. "And what happened last time you tried to set me up with someone I had something in common with."  
  
" _I'm starting to think she targets the ones that would catch our eye,_ " John said. " _First me, then you, now one that would interest both of us. If it wasn't for the fact she'd try and suck us dry in a bad way in our sleep, I'd be going for a threesome._ "  
  
"Yes, you would." Ianto let out a long sigh. "So what's your plan?"  
  
" _She was just above the Hub a few minutes ago, so I'm going to try and track her. You?_ "  
  
"I'll see if I can find where's she's set up base," Ianto glanced back toward the others, noticing Owen watching him. "We can rule out Christina's apartment, but I'm sure there are warehouses and storage facilities nearby that she would be able to keep the Carshy in."  
  
" _Sounds like a plan to me. Just don't get yourself killed._ "  
  
"You're the one going after her."  
  
" _True, but that wouldn't stop her from doubling back like she did two months ago in Aberdeen._ "  
  
"I can't wait to be rid of her." Ianto sighed, glancing at his watch. "We'll meet up at eight."  
  
" _It's a date._ "


	7. Chapter 7

"Who were you calling?" Gwen asked as they headed across the Plass toward where they had seen the Plasmavore.  
  
"My partner," John replied simply. "Didn't think I was in this alone, did you?"  
  
"And exactly what did Ianto have to say?" Jack asked, noting Gwen's sharp look.  
  
"Wait, I thought Ianto was in London," Gwen said.  
  
"Nope. He's currently out looking for her little base. He usually finds it, too." John shrugged it off. "He's just got a sixth sense for these things."  
  
"What makes him so good at Weevil hunting," Jack said. "How we first met, actually."  
  
"So he told me." John glanced at him. "You told him to bugger off."  
  
"Hey, hot guy in tight jeans shows up and knows about Weevils, I'm entitled to be cautious." Jack shot him a look. "I wanted to find out who he was."  
  
"Yeap, and you still told him to bugger off. Although how you could resist that coffee..." John gave Jack the once over. "Still can't see why he likes the coat, though. Doesn't really suit you."  
  
"I think it does," Gwen said.  
  
John glanced at her. "You've obviously never seen him in tight leather pants and an equally tight open necked shirt. That coat is hiding some of his best assets."  
  
Jack smirked, chuckling to himself as he saw Gwen's eyes drift toward one of those hidden assets and noting John's amused look when he caught it too. "Okay, focus people. We've got a Plasmavore to find, remember? So eyes off my arse."  
  
"As fine an arse as it is," John commented. "You ever let Eye Candy–"  
  
Jack shot him a warning look, John halting mid sentence and grinning, throwing Jack a wink.  
  
"I'll take that as a yes. God, you really do like him, don't you. You're very choosey over who you let do that." John ignored the growing heat in that look. "Not that I blame you. He's got quite a few talents."  
  
Gwen stopped dead, staring at him. "You did not."  
  
John's grin widened as he turned toward them, noticing that Jack has stopped in his tracks as well and was staring at him. John gave a dismissive wave. "Plasmavore, remember? We leave it too long and the trail will get the cold."  
  
Gwen reached out, fingers touching Jack's arm lightly as he glared at John. Jack narrowed his eyes, setting his jaw before he looked toward the bridge. "She probably headed toward the Bay."  
  
"That'd be my guess." John hooked his thumbs into his belt, setting off. They continued on, Gwen eventually leaving Jack's side to try and determine which direction she took. John moved to stand beside Jack, watching her. "There was nothing in it, Jack. From either of us."  
  
"I don't care." Jack watched as Gwen showed the picture of Christina to a young man.  
  
"But you do care," John looked at him, studying his expression. "You've spent too much time in the 21st Century, Jack. You've picked up some of their values and beliefs."  
  
"I never tie myself down, and I don't do domestic."  
  
"Yeah. Right."  
  
Gwen came back toward them, pointing down toward the Bay side. "Apparently she headed out that way. They didn't say anything about dogs, though."  
  
"Might have sent the Carshy out for a meal," John observed.  
  
Gwen looked at him sharply. "What do you mean?"  
  
"He means we might want to keep an eye out for any reports on unexplained deaths in the area," Jack said.  
  
"Oh god..."  
  
John stared into the far distance, scowling as a breeze kicked up off the bay and the sound of other people faded behind them. "Honestly, what do you see in this place? When it's not raining it's still cold, and of a night everything freezes."  
  
"It has a certain charm. Besides," Jack shot Gwen a small smile. "I love the accents."  
  
"Okay, I'll give you that." John also gave Gwen a smile, noting her faint blush. He frowned at the sound of a distant howl, slowing. "That isn't good."  
  
"It's just a dog," Gwen said, glancing at him. "Anyway, I think there's a housing estate not far from here. Should place us around the area that Christina lived."  
  
Jack reached up, hooking a hand behind John's neck and trailing his thumb over the skin, at the same time pushing lightly and encouraging John forward. "Since when did you get so easily spooked?"  
  
"This hunt has been the worst one I've ever been on," John said, frowning and sliding closing the Jack, not one to waste an opportunity. "It's taken me closer to death more times than I'll be happy to admit to."  
  
"I thought you liked living on the edge."  
  
"This stopped being fun a long time ago." John stared into the distance, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck prickle. "This got personal."  
  
Gwen watched them, noting that Jack had now slid an arm around John's shoulders, but surprisingly she didn't feel the usual flare of jealousy. It was almost as if Jack was comforting John. "How much are you getting paid for this?"  
  
"I'm not," John admitted. "I've been paid for the occasional hunt in between, but not this. I would have been paid by the Time Agency, but they were shut down a couple of years ago. Well... a couple of my years ago."  
  
The howl came closer, this time Jack slowing. "That's not a normal dog, is it?"  
  
"Like I said: you've been out of the game too long." John reached for one of his guns, arming it. "That's definitely a Carshy."  
  
Gwen looked around, frowning as she turned and reached for her own gun. "We're upwind to it."  
  
"It's definitely got the scent of something," Jack agreed as the howl came again.  
  
"Me, probably." John narrowed his eyes, scanning their surroundings. "Once a Carshy has your scent, it has it for life. I could leave the country, but if the Plasmavore told it to find and kill me, it would. Best hunting beasts in the galaxy."  
  
"Also the hardest to train," Jack pointed out.  
  
"Believe me, these ones are trained." John spun as a howl came from behind them. "Trained to kill."  
  
***  
  
"What exactly are we looking for again?"  
  
Ianto looked back at Owen. "A deserted warehouse, unused storage facility, or even an abandoned house," he looked forward again, watching the houses as they passed them. "Somewhere just enough out of the way not to be noticed, but large enough for her to keep her Carshy."  
  
"I believe there's an old shop down one of the side streets," Tosh said as she took the next corner, watching the afternoon traffic as she navigated her way through the streets of Cardiff. "It's down toward the bay area, but far enough away that it isn't of interest to real estate agents and developers."  
  
Owen glanced up. "How do you know that?"  
  
"I ran a search on the area before we left."  
  
"Always efficient," Ianto observed with a faint smile.  
  
"Had to become more so when you left." Tosh returned the smile. "I had to do all the research on my own."  
  
"Oi." Owen frowned. "I helped."  
  
"Yes, you did." Tosh chuckled, glancing at Ianto. "We normally had to help him navigate his way out of the archives and Vault. He still gets lost down there."  
  
"There's a trick to it," Ianto admitted. "I suppose having a good sense of direction helps."  
  
Owen glared at him. "You saying I have no sense of direction?"  
  
"You got lost on the way to Gwen's wedding," Ianto reminded him, causing Tosh to laugh.  
  
"Yeah, well, she had it out in the bloody countryside, didn't she." Owen scowled, glaring out the window. "I hate the countryside."  
  
"Yes, Owen, we know." Tosh turned onto a side street, the quality of the housing a striking contrast to those on the main street, indicating they had entered a poorer area of the city.  
  
"This looks promising," Ianto said, gesturing to the run down homes. "Food supply."  
  
"That's a cheery thought." Owen shot him a look. "You haven't changed that much."  
  
Tosh pulled the car over in front of a shopfront, the three taking in the boarded up windows and peeling paint. "So?" She said, looking at Ianto. "Think this might be the place?"  
  
"Only one way to find out," he pointed out, reaching inside his jacket and pulling out a gun.  
  
"Where the hell did you get that?" Owen asked, leaning between the seats.  
  
Ianto looked at him. "Need you ask?"  
  
"John," Tosh said, faint distain in her voice.  
  
Ianto nodded, opening the car door. "Let's go then."  
  
***  
  
"Maybe we should run," Gwen said, her grip tightening on her weapon as the howling moved ever closer. "Get back to the Hub."  
  
"That would mean going through a crowded area,” Jack pointed out. "More people would get hurt. We can't risk it."  
  
"Besides," John glanced behind him as another howl came, sending a chill down his spine. "Once they have your scent they won't stop until they're called off."  
  
"So we're stuck then," Gwen said.  
  
"Yeap."  
  
"If she kills us now she'll be exposing herself, won't she?" Jack looked at John. "She can't have had enough time to organise everything."  
  
"You'd be surprised." John half raised his weapon at a movement, lowering it again as he realised it was just the wind catching a piece of paper. "By the time Ianto and I had worked out who she was, she'd already rigged the London Eye with explosives and managed to make Big Ben run backwards."  
  
"That's who did that," Jack observed.  
  
"That was on the news," Gwen frowned. "But the media said it was a broken spring."  
  
"Told you, Jones is brilliant." John smiled. "Had the media practically eating the story out of his hand. Put together a report and delivered it under the guise of a maintainer of the clock. Had them 100% convinced. Plus, it helped we had a reporter on side. Smith is just as good. What Ianto didn't do, Sarah-Jane did. I'm going to make a point of never crossing them."  
  
"You should never cross Ianto anyway," Jack said.  
  
John shot him a look. "And yet you did."  
  
"Now's not really the time," Gwen said, raising her gun as she spotting the glowing red eyes a second before the Carshy appeared. "We have a problem."  
  
"Where's the other one," John said, glancing behind them. "I'm sure I heard it."  
  
"It might have been an echo," Gwen said.  
  
Jack watched as the Carshy came to a stop, sitting back on its haunches and glaring at them, teeth glittering in the light as it snarled. "It’s not attacking."  
  
"The hell?" John stared at it, shaking his head. "Something's not right here. They never just sit there."  
  
"Maybe it just wants to scare us," Gwen observed.  
  
"It's bloody well done that," John replied.  
  
Jack shot him a look, noting the way a bead of sweat was trickling down John's forehead. "You're terrified."  
  
"I have issues with these things," John said, taking a step back in the direction they had come. "Nearly got my heart torn out by one a few months ago. If Jones hadn't shown up I'd be dead."  
  
Jack stared at him a moment longer before looking back at the Carshy. "Okay, I think we can assume it doesn't want us going this way, so let's go back."  
  
"What about the other one?" Gwen asked.  
  
"I think it's gone. Or it could just be an echo, like you said." Jack continued backing away slowly, keeping his eye on the Carshy that made no move to follow them. "See, no reaction. It just wants us to go."  
  
The sound of the low growl was the only warning he got before he found himself pinned to the ground, staring up into glowing red eyes. He heard Gwen and John cry out, then a blaze of pain and darkness.  
  
***  
  
Despite Owen's more than willingness to kick the door in to gain entry, Ianto and Tosh had managed to persuade him otherwise by pointing out that they didn't want the Plasmavore finding out about them if this was indeed her base. Ianto picked the lock, allowing Owen to enter first before following, Tosh drawing her own weapon and coming in behind.  
  
Dust clung to the air, causing the three to fight the need the cough. The interior was dark, shafts of daylight sliding in between the planks of wood that boarded the windows. Owen pointed to the floor, the Tosh and Ianto noticing like he had that the dust there had been disturbed.  
  
They split up, searching the shopfront and adjoining office and living quarters upstairs. They soon came to realise that no one was home, Ianto sighing as he found Tosh standing in the shop's back office, a frown on her face as she nodded.  
  
"Okay, we'll be right there." She looked up as she spotted him. "Owen found something upstairs."  
  
Ianto nodded, following her to an open door to the side, the two climbing the stairs and wincing slightly as the wood creaked beneath each step. They found Owen in the main living area, leaning against a table as he flicked through papers spread out across it.  
  
"I think I found out what she's up too," he said, pointing down at the paperwork. "She's going after the nuclear plant."


	8. Chapter 8

Jack gasped as he was rudely thrown back into life, pain briefly ripping through him as the air filled his lungs and the blood once again began pumping through his veins. Owen had once questioned why he didn't sustain brain damage, given that the brain couldn't survive without oxygen for a period of time without suffering from some sort of damage. Jack hadn't been able to answer him. He just didn't.  
  
He became aware of arms tight around him, and glancing up he found Gwen cradling him against her, a look of relief on her face. She looked up. "He's back."  
  
"Finally." John glanced back quickly from where he stood, gun pointed at the Carshy as they stalked back and forth, snarling. "I really wish I knew how you did that."  
  
"What happened?" Jack asked.  
  
"The second one was hiding in the shadows behind us," Gwen said. "It leapt on you, then tore your throat out before you could react."  
  
Jack's hand unconsciously went to his throat, for the first time noticing the blood on the front of his shirt. "It left me once it had killed me?"  
  
"No, John and I shot it. Then John dragged you over here, and now we're trying to wok out how to get out of here."  
  
Jack looked at the creatures, frowning. "Doesn't look like you shot it."  
  
"They don't seem to feel handguns," John said, eyes never leaving the Carshy. "Rifles, on the other hand..."  
  
"Do you have one?" Gwen asked.  
  
"In the boot of my Bentley."  
  
Jack looked up sharply. "You have a Bentley?"  
  
"Yeap." John smirked. "Buckingham Palace going sideways with the traction control off."  
  
Jack blinked. "You've watched _Top Gear_?"  
  
Gwen looked at him sharply. " _You've_ watched _Top Gear_?"  
  
A sharp howl returned their attention to the Carshy, and were surprised to find both Carshy standing at attention, facing in the direction they had stopped the three human's from going in. One let out another howl, the two taking off at a quick sprint and soon disappearing from view.  
  
"What was that?" Gwen asked lowering her gun as Jack pushed himself up.  
  
"Something got their attention," John said, lowering his own weapon, a mild look of concern on his face. "I just hope I'm wrong about what."  
  
***  
  
"This is incredible." Tosh set the last sheet down, shaking her head in disbelief. "How can she have acquired such detailed records in such a short time?"  
  
"She probably found them while she was in London," Ianto said, leaning back against the wall and casting his gaze out the window onto the street. "She often plans ahead."  
  
"Stopped to think she might have gotten them here?" Owen asked. "She's a killer, right? Who's to say she didn't seduce someone, then suck their blood."  
  
Ianto shook his head. "No, she takes her time with seducing. Wins you over, then strikes while you're vulnerable."  
  
"And how exactly do you know that?" Owen asked.  
  
Ianto raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Oh bloody hell." Owen scowled, glaring at him. "Exactly how many people have you slept with since you left?"  
  
Ianto held his gaze. "Do you really want the answer to that?"  
  
Owen continued to glare at him, before abruptly turning away. "You're getting worse than Harkness."  
  
"Doubtful," Tosh said softly, sifting through more sheets of paper. "Besides, it's not like you're one to talk."  
  
Owen turned to look at her. "Been faithful to you, haven't I?"  
  
"As far as I know."  
  
"Oh come on Tosh." Owen gave her a smile, crossing the room and tilting her chin up, planting a soft kiss on her lips. "How about a little trust, eh?"  
  
Tosh returned the smile. "I trust you, because I'll do a Ianto and shoot you if you try anything."  
  
Owen looked startled, then shot Ianto a glare. "Stop smirking."  
  
Ianto stepped away from the window, tossing Tosh a wink before joining her at the table and scanning the plans, picking up one and pointing to the date. "This was printed two weeks ago, so she definitely acquired it in London." He frowned. "Before John and I shut down her project there."  
  
"She always intended to come to Cardiff," Tosh observed.  
  
"Apparently so." Ianto frowned, tilting his head to the wind. "Did you hear that?"  
  
They fell silent, listening to the wind. Owen was just about to tell Ianto he had lost his mind and was hearing things when there came a distant, short, sharp howl. Tosh frowned, looking at Ianto.  
  
"It's just a dog."  
  
"That's not a dog," he breathed, glancing toward the window. "Get out."  
  
Owen blinked. "What?"  
  
"Get to the car." Ianto reached inside his jacket, retrieving his gun and flicking the safety off. "Go."  
  
"It's a dog," Owen repeated.  
  
"No," Ianto met his eye. "That's a Carshy."  
  
Owen paled, reaching out and grabbing Tosh's hand, pulling her after him as he took off for the stairs. Ianto made a quick check to make sure everything was where it was when they entered, quickly rearranging some papers before following. He hurried out the front door, pausing to lock it and starting as the howl came again, closer.  
  
He shot a wide eyed look down the street before sprinting for the car, diving into the rear seat and closing the door as Tosh planted her foot on the accelerator. Ianto spun, looking out the back window and spotting the creatures tearing up the street behind them.  
  
"Oh my god," Owen breathed.  
  
"They're so fast," Tosh agreed, hands gripping the wheel as the Carshy gained on them.  
  
Ianto didn't say a word, tossing his gun down and snatching up the rifle he had tossed into the car as an afterthought before they had left. He reached out, hitting the button and lowering the left window, Tosh's eyes widening as she turned to throw him a panicked look.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Just keep driving," he ordered.  
  
Ianto gripped the frame, rifle in one hand as he pulled himself out the window and balanced himself, wind tugging at him as he raised the rifle and took aim at the closest Carshy, firing. It let out a yelp, feet falling out from under it as it hit the ground. Ianto shifted his aim, reloading the weapon with a quick flick and sending the spent cartridge flying before firing a second time.  
  
As the second Carshy stopped short, he pulled himself back into the car, glancing back and noting that the first had gotten up and was licking its wounds. Ianto set the rifle down, putting the window back up and bracing himself as Tosh took the corner at the end of the street onto the main road.  
  
"Jesus," Owen breathed. "I can't believe you just did that."  
  
"Should keep them from coming after us for the rest of the night," Ianto said, picking up his handgun and flicking the safety back on, tucking it back into his jacket.  
  
"You mean they aren't dead?" Tosh asked.  
  
"Bullets from a handgun sting them; a rifle will slow them down." Ianto ran a hand through his hair, brushing it back into place. "Interestingly enough they have a negative reaction to silver, so a silver bullet does a lot of damage. A carefully aimed shot to the eye with a silver bullet will kill them."  
  
Tosh glanced at him in the rear view mirror. "How do you know that?"  
  
"Trial and error," he answered. "Unfortunately silver bullets, especially silver bullets lace with gryonite, are hard to come by."  
  
Owen frowned. "Gryonite?"  
  
"It's a rare mineral that we discovered on a meteor three years ago," Tosh said. "Jack said it was harmless to humans, but could be deadly to some species."  
  
"Including Carshy," Ianto finished.  
  
"Where the hell did you get bullets laced with Gryonite," Owen asked, glancing back.  
  
Ianto shrugged. "Archie."  
  
"Archie? As in Torchwood Two Archie?"  
  
Ianto nodded. "I helped him with a little matter a while back, and he gave me access to the bullets. Unfortunately I have since run out. I only managed to kill one of the Carshy before I did."  
  
"We should have some gryonite at the Hub," Tosh said. "We'll go straight there and I'll make some."  
  
"Ah... no." Ianto shifted, frowning. "Drop me back at your place on the way so I can pick up the car. I have a meeting with someone."  
  
Owen set his jaw. "You're still not ready to see Jack, are you?"  
  
Ianto sighed, gazing out the window at the quickly passing houses. "I will when we're both ready."


	9. Chapter 9

Jack had just finished changing his shirt when Tosh and Owen arrived, Jack grinning as he spotted them. "Toshiko Sato. Now there's a sight for sore eyes. Don't you still have a week of holiday left?"  
  
"Which I intend to take." She shot him a bright smile, before looking around. "We still have some gryonite around, don't we?"  
  
"Yeah." Jack frowned. "Why?"  
  
"I need to work it into some silver bullets. Apparently it's poison to Carshy."  
  
Jack narrowed his eyes, looking from Tosh to Owen and back suspiciously before pointing behind him. "Wooden box on my top shelf."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Jack watched as she hurried into his office, before turning and giving Owen a pointed look. Owen smiled sheepishly, glancing up as Gwen stepped back into the room, a fresh shirt of her own on.  
  
Owen glanced between them. "What you two been up to then?"  
  
"Oh, nothing much," Jack said, leaning against his doorframe and watching as Tosh hurried out with the box, disappearing into the weapons room. "Just having my throat ripped out by a dog."  
  
"The Carshy?"  
  
"Who else?"  
  
Owen looked toward Tosh, who was listening in and frowning as she programmed the machine to make the bullets. "We got attacked by them too."  
  
"What?" Gwen looked toward Jack. "You don't think John knew, did you?"  
  
Jack narrowed his eyes, then looked over at Tosh. "That set up yet?"  
  
"Almost," Tosh looked up. "Why?"  
  
"Team meeting." Jack glanced at his watch. "In five minutes in the board room. We need to go over what we have."  
  
***  
  
John closed the door behind him, having to react quickly to the package that was tossed at him. He shot Ianto a look before joining him at the table, unwrapping the parcel and taking a bite of the burger.  
  
"Ooo, I like Earth food." He grinned. "Stuff this bad for you shouldn't taste this good."  
  
"That's both the appeal and curse of it." Ianto sipped from his drink. "Did you find her?"  
  
"Nope. Got intercepted by the Carshy. One of them took a chunk out of Jack."  
  
Ianto sighed heavily. "Typical."  
  
"That's gotta hurt," John said, frowning down at his food. "Anyway, they ran off and Jack and Gwen headed back to the Hub, so I took off and checked out the apartment. I don't think she's been there recently."  
  
"I hacked into the police database. No recent murders as yet, so she must have had her fill in London when she went to that nightclub." Ianto frowned. "We did find her little hideout. And her plans."  
  
John watched him. "That look on your face and the tone you’re using tells me I'm not going to like this."  
  
Ianto set his drink down, sighing and beginning to explain.  
  
***  
  
Gwen's eyes widened as Tosh and Owen finished, shooting a sharp look at Jack. "But she can't do that, can she?"  
  
"Right time, right place she could." Jack rubbed his jaw, frowning at a spot in front of him on the table. "John told me that she usually uses major events in a planets history to her advantage, but I can't recall any around now and I know pretty much all of Earths major disasters. Had to know them."  
  
"Why?" Owen asked.  
  
Jack pulled a face. "It doesn't matter. What does matter is I can’t see what disaster she's trying to align with. Unless..."  
  
"What?" Gwen asked. "Unless what, Jack?"  
  
"Unless she causes the disaster," Jack said, leaning back in his seat. "She knows when the major disasters are, and is actually the trigger of them."  
  
"Which means you'd have no knowledge of them," Tosh said.  
  
"No." Jack shook his head. "I would. If a major disaster happened in Cardiff that threatened to destroy the world, I'd know about it. But there isn't one. In fact, there is no major disaster in Wales or England or anywhere in the United Kingdom this year. I think she's here for personal reasons."  
  
"Her friend got killed," Owen said, remembering what John had told them. "She blames Earth for that."  
  
"Exactly. It happened here, so she blames us." Jack drummed his fingertips on the table. "But before we can get to her, we have to take out the Carshy."  
  
"Hand held weapons don't work on them," Gwen said.  
  
"We know. Ianto explained it to us." Tosh ignored the sharp look Jack shot her. "Hand held guns sting, rifles slow them down. He told us that silver has a negative reaction on them, especially if laced with gryonite."  
  
"Which explains why you're making silver bullets laced with the stuff," Gwen said.  
  
"He said best bet is to shoot them in the eye," Owen continued. "That's how he killed one before. He got the bullets off Archie."  
  
Jack frowned. "Ianto was in contact with Torchwood Two?"  
  
"Apparently."  
  
"Ianto managed to slow them down when they came after us," Tosh explained. "He shot them while they were chasing us."  
  
"Moving vehicle and all," Owen said, frowning. "He never used to do that sort of thing."  
  
"Always had it in him though," Jack said. He sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Whether we want to believe it or not, Ianto's become a mercenary. He was always a con man, which is why he was so good at his job." He looked up, spotting Gwen's eye. "There was a lot you didn't know about. He always kept things to himself. He never even told me everything. Then again, I wasn't exactly forthcoming myself."  
  
"He always had a dark side," Owen said softly. He spotted the looks Gwen and Tosh shot him. "Well he did."  
  
"Owen's right." Jack shrugged. "After living through the destruction of Torchwood One, you had to expect it. He kept it in check most of the time, but occasionally it would sneak out."  
  
"He's about as twisted as the rest of us," Owen agreed, stretching his back. "What's the next move, Captain?"  
  
"The Carshy hunt best at night, so we sleep on it for now." Jack nodded, slapping his hands down on the table and pushing himself up. "Go home. Get some rest. By morning one of us should have come up with a plan, and by then the bullets should be ready."  
  
As he headed for the door, Owen called after him.  
  
"Ianto and John are sleeping together you know."  
  
Jack stopped, Gwen and Tosh shooting Owen hard glares only to look slightly shocked when Jack looked back, a smirk on his lips.  
  
"I know." He winked at Owen. "I wonder if I can talk them into a threesome."  
  
Owen rolled his eyes as Tosh giggled. Only Gwen looked annoyed as Jack left the room.  
  
***  
  
"I say tomorrow we should head to the nuclear facility," John said, tossing the wrapper in the direction of the bin and scowling when it bounced off the edge and rolled to a stop beside the bar fridge. "Bluff our way in as officials."  
  
"Unfortunately for you I'm already known there." Ianto drained the lasts of his drink. "Torchwood has been involved with them since they built the facility, and I become a liaison between them when I began to work here."  
  
"So much the better." John clapped his hands together. "We'll tell them we've had word of a possible security threat and would like to upgrade their systems to prevent it from occurring."  
  
Ianto considered this. "I suppose it could work. Depending entirely, of course, on what Torchwood has said to explain why I haven't been there all year."  
  
"I doubt they would have said you're dead, if that's what you mean." John shrugged. "They probably just said you were sick or on holiday or something."  
  
"Probably." Ianto sighed, pushing himself up and retrieving his jacket, pulling it on.  
  
"Where you off too?" John asked. "Not thinking of going to hunt the Carshy by yourself, are you?"  
  
"I'm not that stupid." Ianto glanced at his watch. "It should take them at least until morning to recover from their wounds meaning there's no chance of being hunted tonight, so I thought I might go for a walk."  
  
John's eyebrows rose slightly before a smile flickered across his lips. "Good luck."  
  
Ianto paused with his hand on the handle, looking back at John and returning the smile. "Thank you."


	10. Chapter 10

Jack sighed, resting his elbows on the handrail, gazing out across the bay. What a day. He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath and silently enjoying the sea breeze. There was something Cardiff had. While being a city, it still had the fresh sea breeze that he had enjoyed the first time he had come here. Well, would have enjoyed had it not been for a Slitheen female, the Rift, and being couped up in the TARDIS all day working.  
  
John was right about it being cold though, especially in the winter months. It came with being so close to the sea, really. An icy sea breeze would blow up off the bay, and if you weren't rugged up you'd be in trouble. He'd been here long enough he'd climatised to it, and warmth was another benefit of his greatcoat.  
  
Feeling the back of his neck prickle, Jack slowly straightened. He'd had that feeling once before, while they were leaving the park with John, and Owen had commented that he'd felt it too. Someone was watching him. Jack swallowed hard as he realised just who it was.  
  
He turned slowly, almost afraid to discover that the feeling twisting his stomach was wrong, only to straighten as he spotted the other. He was leaning casually against a light post, watching Jack with faint interest, blue eyes sparkling as one eyebrow rose.  
  
Jack let out a long breath as he finished his turn, watching the other man and wondering who would speak first. It had felt like forever since he had seen him, and there were so many things he wanted to say only he didn't know just where to start, or if the other man even _wanted to_ speak to him, especially given their last conversation.  
  
"John told me the Carshy killed you today."  
  
Jack had to fight from closing his eyes so he could focus on that beautiful Welsh voice he had missed so much. He looked at the other man and nodded. "They did, yes. I let my guard down. It's been a long time since I had to deal with them." Jack looked him over before returning his eyes to his face. "It's good to see you, Ianto."  
  
"It's good to see you too." Ianto gave him the once over as well, Jack noting that his mask of impassiveness was fixed firmly in place. "We found the Plasmavore’s base."  
  
"I know. Tosh and Owen told us. Told us her plan, too." Jack nodded toward him. "I hear you're working with John."  
  
"He's all right, once you learn how to handle him."  
  
Jack chuckled. "Takes a little while to figure that out."  
  
Ianto smirked. "I shot him, you know."  
  
"Really?" Jack laughed. "When?"  
  
"A few weeks ago. He got in the way of my shot." Ianto paused. "Of course, he had been pissing me off that day, so he deserved it."  
  
Jack continued laughing, shaking his head. "Oh, if only I could have seen his face."  
  
"It certainly was entertaining." Ianto raised a brow. "So, Tosh and Owen."  
  
"Saw that one coming a mile away." Jack rolled his eyes. "I thought they were never going to get together, despite how many times I tried to set them up."  
  
"Gwen and I did tell you they would in their own time."  
  
"I know. It's just that ‘their own time’ was taking forever."  
  
Ianto smiled faintly. "They ended up getting together by themselves, didn't they?"  
  
Jack sighed. "Yes. And don't you dare say 'I told you so'."  
  
Ianto chuckled, pushing himself off the post and moving toward him. "How's everything been?"  
  
"Hard," Jack admitted. "We kinda... took a lot of what you did for granted."  
  
"I figured as much." Ianto stopped in front of him. "Ever figure out the coffee machine?"  
  
Jack set himself. "We've been drinking instant."  
  
Ianto groaned, pulling a face.  
  
"I know, I know. We didn't have much choice." Jack gave a defeated shrug, spreading his arms. "We tried, but we couldn't figure it out. We ended up giving into our need for caffeine and bought instant. At least it's not coffee in a can, right?"  
  
"Sacrilege," Ianto growled.  
  
"SUV ran out of fuel on us too."  
  
Ianto blinked. "I knew none of you knew your way around a service station."  
  
"Hey." Jack narrowed his eyes as he spotted the amused sparkle in Ianto's eye. "It was just the little things like that. You kept Torchwood running, and we never realised it. I'm sorry."  
  
"I wanted to fade into the background," Ianto admitted. "Besides, I actually kind of enjoyed it. Being important without... being important."  
  
"You're all important." Jack held out a hand. "You really have been missed, Ianto."  
  
Ianto took the offered hand, allowing Jack to pull him into a tight hug, returning the embrace. Jack folded him in his arms, burying his face into Ianto's neck and closing his eyes, savouring the feel of just holding Ianto again, breathing in his scent and feeling Ianto's arms wrapped around him, the younger man's breath warm on his own shoulder.  
  
Jack pulled back, smiling at him. "Want to go grab something to eat?"  
  
"I've already had dinner."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Just a burger."  
  
"You need more than that." Jack tugged on his arm. "Come on. My treat. We have a lot to catch up on."  
  
Ianto fell into step beside him. "Indeed we do. Starting with why you're living at my place."  
  
***  
  
"I can't believe you said that to Jack," Tosh said, glaring at Owen.  
  
"What?" Owen looked up at her from where he was cleaning his tools. "He's entitled to know."  
  
"It's still not something you say to his face."  
  
"Why not?" Owen looked back down at what he was doing. "When he spotted this girl I used to go with someone at one point, he let me know about it."  
  
"Jack's still in love with Ianto," Tosh reminded him.  
  
"I know that. And Ianto's still got a thing for him. It's obvious." Owen glanced up at her. "It's no big deal. So what if John and Ianto are shagging. You admitted yourself at one stage that you wouldn't mind shagging John."  
  
"I wouldn't, but not while I'm with you."  
  
"Look, it's not like Jack and Ianto are dating." Owen shrugged it off. "Whatever they had Ianto broke off, remember? I don't think he thought they had much to begin with."  
  
"Jack only ever took him out on one date," Gwen said, speaking up from where she was sitting on the steps, watching Owen work. "Besides, Tosh, I would have appreciated it if you'd told me about Diane a lot sooner."  
  
Owen looked up. "What? You didn't realise Diane and I were..."  
  
Gwen shook her head.  
  
"I didn't think it was important," Tosh said. "I mean, it's not like you and Owen were sleeping together anymore–"  
  
"Exactly." Owen shot her a look. "It's not exactly like Jack and Ianto are sleeping together anymore either." He spotted Tosh's look. "Think about it. These last few years Ianto's love life has been what? Lisa, then Jack. Nothing in between. Who knows how many came before Lisa."  
  
"So what you're saying is Ianto's sleeping around?" Gwen asked.  
  
"Well, I wouldn't put it that way." Owen made a sweeping gesture with his hand. "Ianto's young, great looking, and single. He's got everything going for him. So why not spread his wings a bit. See what he's been missing while he's been in his two relationships. He's just being your average bachelor."  
  
"And you'd know," Gwen asked.  
  
"As a matter of fact, I do." Owen put the tools down, dropping into his chair and stretching his legs out in front of him. "I absolutely adored Katie. She was pretty much the only girl I'd ever loved, which is why I wanted to marry her. Then she died." He frowned. "I still miss her, still wonder what things could have been like, but I had to overcome that. Once I'd gotten over my grief enough, I did what Ianto’s doing – I spread my wings. Lived a little, just to remind myself I'm alive." He smiled up at Tosh. "And now I'm ready to give the commitment thing another try."  
  
Tosh returned the smile.  
  
"I could never do that," Gwen said, shaking her head.  
  
"Sure you could." Owen pointed at her. "You do it anyway. You've been trying to get into Jack's pants since pretty much the minute Ianto walked out that door."  
  
"Before, actually," Tosh said, earning herself a glare from the other woman.  
  
"It's different," Gwen said.  
  
"Aside from the fact Ianto isn't dead?" Owen asked.  
  
"Jack hasn't slept around," Gwen reminded them. "He hasn't been with anyone since Ianto left. It's not fair on him."  
  
"Jack is over a century old," Owen said. "And he's probably spent most of that time shagging anything with a hole."  
  
"Owen!" Tosh hissed, trying not to giggle.  
  
Owen held up his hands. "It's true; you've got to admit it."  
  
"I can't believe you're both joking about this." Gwen pushed herself up, straightening her shirt. "I'm going to find Jack. I'm sure he's not taking it as well as he's making out he is."  
  
As she disappeared out the door, Tosh and Owen exchanged a weary look.  
  
Tosh sighed. "Here we go again."  
  
***  
  
"So you and Rhys are good friends now?"  
  
"Even went to the football together once," Jack said. "He talked me into it. Wasn't that bad. Of course, Gwen thought I was off sulking somewhere and spent the whole night looking for me." He chuckled. "You should have seen the look on her face when I told her where I was."  
  
"She has always been rather protective of you," Ianto pointed out, setting his spoon down into the empty bowl as Jack finished off his own dessert. "In fact, I'm surprised you two aren't..."  
  
Jack rolled his eyes. "You honestly believe I would sleep with Gwen?"  
  
"Given the amount of flirting you two have had in the past," Ianto pointed out, "it's really not that much of a stretch."  
  
Jack conceded the point, setting his own spoon down and reaching for his drink. "I didn't."  
  
"Tosh, Owen and Rhys told me."  
  
"Rhys is one of the reasons why I haven't." Jack shook his head, sighing. "I like him. I'll admit I've become rather fond of Rhys, and I don't want to see him get hurt."  
  
"He is quite likeable." Ianto smiled faintly. "Like a teddy bear. He just has that look that makes you want to cuddle him."  
  
"Exactly." Jack finished his drink setting down the glass. "I don't know about you, but I'm full."  
  
"Probably the most I've eaten in a while," Ianto agreed.  
  
Jack ran his eye over him. "I'd thought you'd lost weight."  
  
"Gained it, actually." Ianto shrugged. "I've had to become a lot fitter over recent months, given how much fighting and running I've had to do. So I've ended up putting on some weight."  
  
"Really." Jack smirked. "Got a six pack now?"  
  
"Not that much working out," Ianto clarified, giving him an amused look. "Just enough to stay one step ahead of the Carshy."  
  
"Fair enough." Jack reached for his wallet, taking out enough money to cover both their meals plus a tip for the waiter, setting it down. "So... up for a walk? Try and work some of this meal off?"  
  
"Sure, why not."  
  
They stood, exiting the restaurant and making their way back toward the bay area where they had first run into each other. Jack sighed, closing his eyes and once again enjoying the night breeze, a slight feeling of contentment washing over him at the sense of Ianto beside him.  
  
"So..." Jack turned his head slightly. "You and John are partners now?"  
  
"While we're hunting the Plasmavore, yes." Ianto shrugged. "We were both hunting the same thing so we figured we might as well work together."  
  
"He’s been training you to fight?"  
  
Ianto looked at him. "Pardon?"  
  
"Let's just say Tosh and Owen told us about your little move today with the rifle."  
  
"Oh." Ianto gazed around them as they stepped out onto a boardwalk, stopping to rest against the railing. "You must admit I was never much of a fighter, Jack."  
  
"I disagree. I think you're a very good fighter." He paused. "Against Weevils."  
  
"Weevil's are one thing, humans and other aliens are another." Ianto shook his head. "John has taught me a lot. In exchange I've taught him the customs of the planet so he could fit into the 21st Century better." He frowned. "Although he is rather attached to that outfit."  
  
"That's the thing about Time Agents," Jack said, smiling. "We're trained to blend into the local culture, but we always find one time and planet that we become rather fond of."  
  
"Yours being 1940s Earth," Ianto said, raising a brow.  
  
"Well." Jack shrugged it off. He looked at Ianto, eyeing his clothes. "I've missed the suits."  
  
"I haven't." Ianto sighed, leaning against the railing. "The dry cleaning was expensive, they cost a lot to have tailored, half of them ended up ruined, and they weren't exactly designed to fight in."  
  
"Nevertheless, you look good in them."  
  
Ianto looked out over the bay, taking in where the clouds had parted to reveal the glittering of stars. He turned his head, watching as Jack leaned against the rail beside him. He reached out, tugging at Jack's sleeve and smiling faintly. "I've missed the coat."  
  
Jack chuckled, leaning into him and meeting his eye. "I had a feeling that you might have."  
  
Ianto smiled, closing the distance between them further until he could feel Jack's warm breaths across his face. "I've always been rather fond of the coat."  
  
Jack brushed his lips against Ianto's, smiling. "I know."  
  
"Jack!"  
  
Jack growled as Ianto sighed heavily, the younger man turning to look back toward the restaurant, trying to see where Gwen had called from. The tone had definitely been a searching one, not one of discovery, meaning she hadn't spotted them yet. Turning back, Ianto was surprised to see Jack gone, only to hear his name. Peering over the railing, he found Jack on the other side.  
  
"Come on," Jack said. "Unless you want her to find us."  
  
Ianto raised his eyebrows, glancing once more in Gwen's direction before gripping the top of the railing and pulling himself up and over, allowing himself to drop down onto the sand below. He turned look at where Jack was straightening his coat. "Is leaping railings to escape Gwen common practice now?"  
  
"Only for the last year or so," Jack admitted, smiling sheepishly only to look up sharply at the sound of footsteps above. He grabbed Ianto's arm, drawing him in under the boardwalk.  
  
"Jack!"  
  
They hid in the shadows, waiting quietly for Gwen to leave. Jack's arm threaded around Ianto's waist as they gazed upward. Seeing Gwen's shadow shift to lean over, they slunk back against the retaining wall, pressing together and letting their gazes drop.   
  
Jack brought his other hand up, trailing a fingertip along Ianto's jaw line, eyes watching the younger man's reaction. Ianto didn't pull away, one hand twisting its way into the fabric of Jack's greatcoat while the other came up to smooth down Jack's windblown hair.  
  
Jack smiled, hooking a finger under Ianto's chin and tilting it slightly, drawing him forward as Ianto's hand came down to rest behind his neck. The first touch of their lips was hesitant, judging each others reactions before the invited each other to go deeper.  
  
The kiss was slow, not as rushed as either one had imagine it would be, nor charged with sexual energy that would lead them to doing it right there, probably on top of Jack's coat. Rather, it was about relearning something almost forgotten; remapping territory each had thought was lost.  
  
Above them, Gwen called out to Jack once more before she stepped away from the edge, her footsteps echoing on the boards above. Jack and Ianto drew back to glance up, watching her shadow through the parts in the boards as it disappeared onto the concrete.  
  
Jack returned his attention to Ianto, trailing his fingertips over his jaw. "I still love you."  
  
Ianto met his eye, palm flat against Jack's chest. "I still don't believe you."


	11. Chapter 11

Rhys looked up as Gwen slammed the door, stalking into the apartment with a scowl on her features. He sighed, knowing she'd probably been out looking for Jack again.  
  
"I made you a curry," he said, leaning back from where he sat at the computer. "I didn't know what time you'd be home so I put it in a microwave dish in the fridge."  
  
"Thanks,' she said, opening the door and retrieving it.  
  
Rhys returned to what he was doing, absently noticing the whirl of the microwave as the scent of the food began to waft through the living quarters of their flat. He heard the soft beep, then footsteps as Gwen came up behind him.  
  
"What you up too?" She asked.  
  
"Just keeping an eye on the news reports," he replied. "Seeing if there are any odd deaths in the area."  
  
"We have software checking for that," Gwen said.  
  
"I know. No harm in looking though." He looked up at her. "Did they ever find that thing’s house?"  
  
"Yeah. And what it's planning to do." Gwen sighed, taking a bite of the curry and watching as he continued his search. "Rhys, I don't want you getting involved in this one."  
  
"You never want me involved," he said, scowling.  
  
"I know, but especially not this one. This thing is dangerous."  
  
"I know, I know." He looked up at her quickly. "Ianto already explained it all to me, and I'm going to keep right away. Can't hurt to work on the Intel side of things, can it?"  
  
Gwen looked at him sharply. "You saw Ianto?"  
  
"At Owen's. Had a good chat, we did." Rhys smiled, hitting 'refresh' and bringing up the latest reports. "Been all over the country, he has. Seen a lot of the sights. Sounded like a good trip. We might have to do it one day."  
  
"Ianto was still hunting aliens," Gwen said.  
  
"Not originally he wasn't." Rhys opened another link, giving it a quick scan before hitting 'back'. "Stayed in Gloucester for a while with that Grant fellow from the crash, then headed off. Ended up getting caught up in an alien takeover in Harrogate. He sorted that, and just kept running into things until he met up with John in Edinburgh."  
  
Gwen stared at him. "He told you all this?"  
  
"He did."  
  
"And you didn't have to pressure him into it?"  
  
"All I had to do was ask." Rhys hit 'refresh' again, frowning as he spotted the words 'Two Dead', but disregarding the article when he read it was related to a car accident in Swansea. "He's not a bad bloke, you know. He's been through quite a lot this last year."  
  
"Yes, I'm sure he has," Gwen muttered, taking another bite from her curry.  
  
"Don't be too hard on him." Rhys looked up at her. "I think being away has done him some good. Smiles a lot more than he used too. I hardly ever used to see him smile."  
  
"Yeah, well, it's just the way he is," Gwen said.  
  
Rhys watched her as she began to pace the room. "Jack told me about him a while back. Told me about Canary Warf and how it was all real. Don't blame him for not smiling. I would have gone mad if it were me."  
  
"Rhys, stop it." Gwen spun to look at him. "I can't believe you're taking Ianto's side in this."  
  
"That argument ended a long time ago," he frowned. "Let them work it out between themselves. It's really none of our business."  
  
"It _is_ our business." Gwen taped her fork against the edge of the bowl. "Look what it did to Torchwood. They have a lovers tiff and Ianto storms off, leaving everything in shambles, and you think it's none of our business."  
  
"Jack left too, didn't he?" Rhys pointed out. "No warning about it. Just abandoned you all, including Ianto, without so much as a goodbye. You all survived then, and you survived now."  
  
Gwen scowled. "You have been spending far too much time with Tosh and Owen."  
  
"And Jack," Rhys said. He turned back to the computer. "They're at least there when I want to talk to someone."  
  
Gwen stared at him. "What?"  
  
"You're never home, Gwen." Rhys glared at her. "You're always out looking for Jack to offer him help and advice he doesn't want. He only stays away from the Hub to avoid you, you know. He figures if you can't find him you'll come home. Shame how that didn't work out, since you spend all night driving the streets while I'm sitting here waiting for you. If anyone needs you Gwen, it's me."  
  
Gwen turned and disappeared back into the kitchen, Rhys returning to his search. It seemed like a long while had past before two arms wrapped around his neck, Gwen kissing him gently on the side of the face. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Yeah, well maybe you should start spending less time at work and more time at home."  
  
"I promise." Gwen straightened, hands resting on his shoulders. "I don't know about you, but I'm tired. Let's go to bed, shall we."  
  
Hearing the unspoken invitation, Rhys was in the process of switching off the computer before she had even finished speaking.  
  
***  
  
Jack sighed, resting his chin on top of Ianto's head, enjoying the feel of Ianto's weight lying against him. After making sure that Gwen had gone, they had snuck around to where Jack had parked the SUV and driven back to Ianto's place. After a coffee and more catching up, they had ended up in the bedroom, still clothed as they curled together simply enjoying each others company.  
  
Jack pressed a kiss onto the top of Ianto's head, sighing.  
  
"Something's on your mind," Ianto said, tilting his head to look up at Jack.  
  
"Just what you said earlier." Jack frowned. "Why don't you believe me?"  
  
"When you say you love me?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
It was Ianto's turn to sigh, closing his eyes and tucking himself back in under Jack's chin, tightening his grip on Jack's shirt. "It's complicated."  
  
"Then explain it to me."  
  
There was a long silence, Jack beginning to think that Ianto wasn't going to speak when the other man shifted so that he could face him, Ianto gazing at Jack with a serious expression on his face.  
  
"Jack, how old are you? Really?"  
  
Jack frowned, running the math in his head. "About 176, give or take a year or two."  
  
Ianto nodded. "And you're from the 51st Century?"  
  
Sometimes Jack forgot that he had told Ianto his home time during their third meeting and first real hunt together, for Myfanwy no less. Ianto had commented on his scent, and Jack had told him it was natural for his century. "That's right."  
  
"John told me what it's like in your time, Jack." Ianto sighed, gazing up toward the ceiling. "How your people roam across the galaxy, meeting new species and... well, getting to know them."  
  
"We'd been doing that for a couple of centuries."  
  
Ianto nodded, turning to look at him again. "Do you ever settle down, the humans from your time? Do you ever just... pick one mate?"  
  
"Sure we do." Jack smiled faintly. "My parents were completely faithful to each other. I guess we just roam until we find the right person... well... right one. A few of us settled down with aliens."  
  
"How about you?" Ianto watched his expression carefully. "Not only is it bad enough that you come from a time when sleeping with as many people as you can is accepted and expected, but you're so old. You watch people grow old and die around you. How can you possibly love anyone?"  
  
"I have loved," Jack said softly. "I've fallen many times. I loved the Doctor and his companion at the time, Rose. I've since come to accept that I'll never have him and I'll never see her again." Jack sighed. "There was Estelle. I couldn't stay with her because of my immortality. And in some ways I still love John, but there was no way he was ever going to settle down. Besides," he chuckled, "with our chemistry, we'd end up killing each other."  
  
"Exactly what he said," Ianto said with a faint smile, only for it to fade. "Everyone you've ever loved either leaves you or dies. You've been hurt far too many times, and have come to build strong shields around your heart. It's impossible that you could love."  
  
Jack sighed, closing his eyes and nodding after a moment. "You're right. I have been hurt a lot, and I do come from a time where faithfulness isn't exactly... encouraged. But it's been around 140 years since I was in that time. I've been stuck on Earth since 1869, Ianto. I've come to live by the expectations of here and now."  
  
"And yet all you ever do is talk like you're still living by your old values," Ianto said. "Every conversation you somehow manage to bring up an ex-lover to compare to the situation at hand. You openly flirt with anyone, and when given the chance..."  
  
Jack knew Ianto had him there. Jack reached up to run a hand over his eyes, brushing away the weariness. No wonder Ianto didn't believe him. "Why didn't you ever say anything before?"  
  
"It wasn't my place."  
  
"Christ, Ianto." Jack sat up, staring down at him. "You were my boyfriend. If anyone had the right to say anything, it was you."  
  
"But was I ever your boyfriend?" Ianto pushed himself up, leaning back against the headboard and watching Jack. "When we first were together it was just about the casual fuck whenever we felt like it, and then you left without any warning. When you came back you asked me out and I thought things had changed, but we only ever had one date before we went back to the way things were–"  
  
"We never went back to the way things were," Jack cut in. He hung his head, letting out a long breath before looking back up at the other man. "I should have taken you out more, I know that. I _know_ I should have taken you out more. But we weren't hiding it anymore, Ianto. I didn't want to hide it."  
  
"Neither did I."  
  
"Ianto..." Jack reached out, gently resting a hand on Ianto's knee and quietly pleased when Ianto neither stiffened at his touch nor pulled away. "I told you what happened that year I went away." Ianto nodded. "It was while I was away, chained up and being tortured, that I realised how much you meant to me. That I realised I love you."  
  
Ianto watched the hand on his knee, eyes never shifting. "But you can see why I don't believe you."  
  
"I can now." Jack sighed. "I'm from the 51st Century, Ianto. Romance, seduction... they're almost dead. Some people still believe in them, but I haven't got a clue." He shook his head. "I know the basics – music, dancing, champagne and roses... I just used them to get people into bed. I never did dates; I never did Valentines Day or Anniversaries.... I basically just... don't know anything about committed 21st Century relationships."  
  
"Why didn't you ask?" Ianto said.  
  
"I don't like showing weakness," Jack said simply. "If I asked somebody about something I don't know anything about, I'm showing something I'm not good at." He met Ianto's eye. "I've eh... actually since asked Rhys about it."  
  
Ianto blinked. "Rhys?"  
  
"Gwen always said he was a hopeless romantic at heart." Jack smiled faintly. "I just asked him what romance was to him, and he told me about it. I learnt quite a bit from him."  
  
Ianto reached up, resting his hand on the one on his knee. "Jack."  
  
Jack looked at him.  
  
"I'm not a romantic."  
  
Jack smiled faintly. "I know, but it can't hurt, can it?"  
  
Ianto returned the smile. "I suppose not."  
  
They sat in silence, Jack shifting so that he was sitting next to Ianto again, Ianto leaning against him and resting his head on Jack's shoulder. Jack found Ianto's hand, threading their fingers together and gently trailing his thumb over the smooth skin on the back.  
  
"What will it take for you to believe me?" Jack said softly.  
  
"I don't know. In a way I think I do but..." Ianto tilted his head, gazing up into Jack's eyes. "I can't read you."  
  
Jack met his gaze, smiling sadly. "I guess that makes us even."


	12. Chapter 12

John sighed, resting his head back against the wall and looking down toward the nuclear facility. Hearing footsteps from the other direction, he looked back around and scowled, pushing himself off the wall and giving his watch a pointed look.  
  
"I'm fully aware that I'm late," Ianto said, joining him. "Jack's right about you being the wife, you know."  
  
John shot him a half-hearted glare. "Excuse me? Who does the cooking and cleaning?"  
  
"Only because you don't know how to cook without a computer and wouldn't know one end of a broom from the other." Ianto paused. "Well, its correct use, anyway."  
  
John sniggered. "Not my fault they design them so long and thick."  
  
Ianto rolled his eyes. "You should talk to Jack about hockey sticks."  
  
"Now _there's_ an idea." John's eyes sparkled as they headed down toward the facility. "How about it, you: me, hockey stick..."  
  
"I've already done the hockey stick thing, actually." Ianto gave him a meaningful look. "Jack knows his sports equipment."  
  
"He's gotten a lot more inventive since I was with him," John admitted. "Although the things he could do with a hydrospanner..."  
  
They entered the facility, following the long corridor toward the main office. John watched Ianto, taking in his posture and expression. "Went all right then."  
  
"We talked." Ianto frowned slightly. "We've still got a lot we need to work out."  
  
"So he has no hard feelings then."  
  
"Not that I can see." Ianto shoved his hands into his pockets, looking down the corridor. "He wants to work things out."  
  
John nodded, eyes never leaving the other man. "Question is, do you?"  
  
Ianto sighed. "I think I do."  
  
"Either you do or you don't, Eye Candy. No in between." John looked forward again as they reached the desk, the receptionists eyes lighting up as she spotted Ianto. "Show time."  
  
***  
  
"So where are we at?" Jack asked as he stepped into the Hub, greatcoat billowing out behind him as he swung up the stairs onto the main floor. "Tosh?"  
  
"Bullets are finished," Tosh replied.  
  
"I managed to find some high powered rifles," Owen added, stepping out of the weapons locker and holding one up. "Combined with the bullets this should stop them dead. Literally."  
  
"The Plasmavore is definitely Christina Ryder," Gwen said, looking up from her computer. "She was reported missing four hours ago. Also, there were three unexplained deaths in the early hours of the morning. One mauling, and a couple found in the back room of a club. They'd been completely drained of their blood."  
  
"She's starting to make herself known," Jack observed.  
  
"Shouldn't we stop her?" Gwen asked. "We know where she lives."  
  
Jack nodded. "That's what I'm thinking."  
  
"What about the nuclear facility?" Tosh asked. "If we attack her, she might begin overloading it early."  
  
"Already being taken care of." Jack looked toward her, all the while watching Gwen out the corner of his eye. "John and Ianto are there now sorting things out with security. I called ahead to let them know they were coming."  
  
Owen frowned. "You talked to John today?"  
  
Jack shook his head. "Ianto, actually."  
  
Gwen's eyes widened. "Jack..."  
  
"We just talked," he assured her, looking over at her. "That's it. We've got a lot of things we need to sort out." He raised a hand as she began to speak again. " _We_ need to sort out. No outside interference. Just him and I."  
  
"About bloody time," Owen muttered.  
  
"They're going to call when they're on their way out," Jack said. "In the meantime, let’s see if we can find out where our friendly neighbourhood blood-sucking alien is located this morning. Gwen? See what you can find on CCTV."


	13. Chapter 13

"A little heads up about them knowing we were coming would have been nice," John said as they left the Head of Security’s office. "And since when did I become a member of Torchwood?"  
  
"You honestly think they'd let a civilian into the facility?" Ianto asked, slipping the papers back into his inside jacket pocket. "Anyway, unless she can come up with a new plan, the Plasmavore shall have a few difficulties."  
  
"It's so nice to be one step ahead of her for once," John said, stretching and folding his hands together behind his head. "Mind, her plan was flawless. If it weren't for the fact I hate the bitch and want to make her day hell, I would have borrowed it myself. It's be amusing to watch everyone running around in a panic– "  
  
"Up until the point your body starts wasting away from the radiation," Ianto cut in, glaring at him.  
  
"Not really." John brought his hands forward, tapping his wrist strap. "Built in shielding against radiation storms. I admit it only lasts a couple of hours, but that'd be all I need to catch a Rift storm and get out of here."  
  
Ianto sighed, shaking his head and rolling his eyes.  
  
"What?" John laughed, slinging an arm around Ianto's shoulders. "I never said I wouldn't take you with me. I've actually come to be rather fond of you."  
  
"Flattered as I am, I would have shot you before you even had a chance to start the meltdown," Ianto said, crossing his arms as they exited the building. "Besides, Torchwood would have stopped you."  
  
"They know anything about nuclear facilities?"  
  
"Tosh does."  
  
"Right, so what if I immobilised her, and found a way to take Jack out of the equation."  
  
"Owen and Gwen would sort it out."  
  
"Nah, I think Gwen would be thinking of that man of hers." John ran it through his head. "I reckon Owen would be the one to go in, try and fix things He has a hero streak in him."  
  
"Something you'd be an expert on," Ianto muttered.  
  
"I prefer to be the bad guy," John purred, moving to sneak a hand down the front of Ianto's pants, only to have Ianto swat it away. "Playing hard to get now, are we?"  
  
"I've warned you about public places," Ianto shot him a firm look. "Don't make me punish you later."  
  
John smirked. "Promises, promises."  
  
He let Ianto go, fishing out his phone and punching in Jack's number.  
  
***  
  
Jack reached for his phone as it rang, spotting Gwen, Owen and Tosh looking at him through the window of his office. Seeing John's number, he hit receive. "How did it go?"  
  
" _Smooth, as always. You've got to admit I'm good_."  
  
"Ianto did all the work then."  
  
" _Oh, you wound me._ " John chuckled. " _He explained the situation, and we spent the last hour helping them set up the new security measures. There's no way that little plan of hers will work._ "  
  
Jack grinned, giving his team a thumbs up and seeing the collective look of relief. "That's what I want to hear. Now it's just a matter of dealing with her."  
  
" _It should take her a little while to realise things aren't working out,_ " John said. " _She usually spends at least a week establishing herself and having her own fun before bringing out the big guns. Should give us more than enough time to sneak up on her and..._ "  
  
Jack leaned forward as John trailed off. "John?"  
  
" _We've got a slight problem,_ " John said, Jack feeling his stomach twist as he picked up on the slight edge of fear to the other man's voice.  
  
"What kind of problem? John?"  
  
" _The fury, black with shiny teeth kind._ " He heard John let out a steadying breath. " _I think she knows we're here._ "  
  
Jack pushed himself to his feet, setting his jaw. "We've got the weapons. The bullets with silver and gryonite. Find somewhere safe and we'll get them to you."  
  
" _'Somewhere safe' doesn't exist with these things, remember? Look, we're turning on the trackers on our phones. Find us. Get us the weapons. We'll try and stay one step ahead._ "  
  
Jack swallowed hard. "Be careful."  
  
The line disconnected, Jack swearing and stalking out of his office. "Grab the guns. We're going."  
  
***  
  
"Okay," Ianto said, staring down toward the two beasts standing between them and the Bentley. "Plan?"  
  
John shot him a quick look. "Turn the tracker on your phone on. Aside from that, run like bloody buggery."  
  
Ianto reached for his phone, hitting a couple of keys while staring at John. "That's your plan? Run?"  
  
"Oh, and split up," John said. "One Carshy each. Makes it a bit more fair."  
  
"In case you've forgotten, our guns are in the car," Ianto hissed. "We might have one each, but they have teeth while we're defenceless."  
  
"Torchwood did what you wanted and made those bullets," John said as they inched their way toward a path, the Carshy watching their every move and slowly creeping toward them. "They're going to bring us the weapons."  
  
"Which is why you want the tracker on," Ianto guessed.  
  
"Bingo." John eyed the Carshy, glancing quickly at Ianto. "You watch your back, okay?"  
  
"Always do," Ianto gave him a smile. "See you when it's over?"  
  
"I better. And in one piece."  
  
John caught Ianto's face in his hands, kissing him hard. Ianto returned it before they broke apart, giving each other one more look of encouragement before they went their separate ways, the Carshy hot on their heels.


	14. Chapter 14

"Wouldn't it be better for us to help Gwen and Tosh?" Owen asked, looking across at Jack as they drove through the city. "They could get the weapons to John, while we go after Ianto. Give them more of a chance."  
  
"John and Ianto can take care of themselves," Jack said, taking the next corner. "The Carshy are under the direction of the Plasmavore. We take her out, they'll have more of a chance."  
  
"Right. And what'll we do if she's still got one of them there?"  
  
"John basically said they were both there." Jack drummed his fingers on the wheel, glaring at a lorry in front. "Come on. I swear they do it deliberate."  
  
"That's one of Rhys' lorries, you realise," Owen said.  
  
"Okay, then they _are_ doing it deliberate. He probably told them, 'if you see a black SUV with flashing blue lights, go out of your way to get in their way'."  
  
"Oh, I doubt that." Owen paused. "Then again, I wouldn't put it past him."  
  
"That man and I are going to have words." Jack growled, finally spotting a break in the traffic going the other way and allowing him to swing around the lorry.  
  
"Go easy." Owen gripped the armrest, the other hand tight on the dash as he shot Jack a look. "I'd like to get there in one piece, thanks. If I knew you were going to be like this, I would have driven."  
  
"Would you shut up." Jack shot him a glare. 'Quit backseat driving, already. Now, where are we going?"  
  
"Left at the next turnoff." Owen set himself for the turn, bracing his body as Jack threw them around the corner. "See, another reason why I should have driven: I actually know where we're going."  
  
"Look, unless you want to walk..."  
  
'Okay, okay, don't get your knickers in a knot." Owen paused. "You are wearing underwear, right?"  
  
Jack just smirked.  
  
"Oh god, not again." Owen winced, hoping they wouldn’t end up in a situation where they’d had to remove clothing like last time they’d gone out hunting together.  
  
They navigated their way across the residential district of Cardiff, Jack pulling the SUV up outside the old rundown store.  
  
"Okay," he said, switching off the car. "CCTV shows she's at the hospital, probably trying to get her hands on some more blood without killing anyone and drawing anymore attention to herself. So we'll go in, set up the trap, and get out of there. Clear?"  
  
"Crystal." Owen climbed out of the SUV, looking up at the shop and sighing. "Why do I have a feeling this is going to go to shit?"  
  
Jack gave him a meaningful look as he headed for the door. “Probably because it usually does.”  
  
***  
  
John slipped into the old building, taking in the decaying facade and broken glass. As he moved inside, he had to admire the architecture and curse those who had let it fall into this state. That was one thing he had yet to grasp about the residents of Sol 3 – how they could just let beautiful things decay.  
  
In his time, beautiful things were cherished. Then again, anything that wasn't beautiful could easily be made to be. Not that he'd ever needed anything done, but if things kept going the way they were he would seriously consider it. Damn Jack and his immortality – it was like a fountain of youth, only with a bitch of a curse attached.  
  
He carefully moved up the stairs, hand smoothing along the banister as he glared at the graffiti that covered the walls – a variety of different tags and slogans, although the 'Bad Wolf' one intrigued him. If he ever had to tag something, that was the sort of thing he'd use.  
  
He followed the corridor, pulling back a sheet over a piece of furniture and noting the antique chair. He briefly contemplated how much he would get for it if he took it through the Rift to some dealer in the 46th Century when there had been a real fad to have 20th-21st Century antiques, but brushed the thought off as a noise came from downstairs.  
  
He straightened, listening and hearing the soft footfalls combined with the click of nails on the marble floor. He frowned, shifting and moving quicker down the hall, opening the door on the end and silently thankful for good design when it swung open almost soundlessly. He carefully closed it behind him, turning to find himself in complete darkness.  
  
He pressed a button on his wrist strap, a small light shining and casting long shadows around him. His eyebrows rose as he took in the rows of seating and the torn screen, covered in more tags and slogans. Evidently he had found one of the old cinemas Ianto had told him about.  
  
He gazed around, taking in the dust and cobwebs, the ever so faint smell of mould and the stale smell of beer no doubt coming from the broken bottles scattered around. He looks down, noting the glass that lay underfoot, along with torn up newspaper and the occasional discarded condom. He scowled. Why the hell would anyone do it here? You get more of a thrill from doing it in a real cinema.  
  
Shame Eye Candy had drawn the line there. Kissing? Sure. Blow jobs? Depended on numbers and how observant those around were. Actually doing it? Hell no. How dull.  
  
He moved down the steps toward the screen, gazing up at it then turning to look up toward the dark holes on the back wall. Dreams had been shared here. John actually had a soft spot for the old fashioned movie houses. They just had a flare to them the 51st Century ones didn't. Probably because movie houses didn't exactly exist in the 51st Century. They were considered quant and boring.  
  
He frowned at the rumble, stiffening as he recognised it as a growl. He felt his heart quicken, thumping against his chest as a flutter shot through him. That rumble had sounded a lot closer than it should have. He turned, eyes scanning his surroundings but seeing nothing but endless rows of torn and broken seating, the light glittering off the glass.  
  
Hearing a rip, he swung around and gave a sharp cry as he was thrown backward. Sharp pain tore through him as he pushed himself up, racing for the ladder he could see out of the corner of his eye and throwing himself up it. He gasped as he felt teeth sink into this leg, John wrapping his arms around the ladder and looking down, finding the Carshy gripping the flesh, trying to tug him down.  
  
John tightened his grip on the ladder, ignoring the pain from both his leg and the still healing bullet wound and kicking down at the Carshy's nose. After four firm kicks, the Carshy let go, John quickly scaling the ladder further and laughing as he realised the Carshy could no longer jump high enough to reach him. The laughter just as quickly died away, John resigning himself to being stuck there for some time as the Carshy sat at the base of the ladder, waiting.  
  
"Go dig for a bone or something," John said, glaring down at the beast, fighting to ignore the throbbing pain in his body. "Or better yet, go find something to eat because you aren't getting anything here. Besides, I'm too... chewy." The Carshy didn't move. "Oh come on. Be a nice dog and go home."  
  
Hearing the door burst open, he looked up and spotted Gwen and Tosh, a rifle tight in Gwen's grip. He raised a hand. "Stay there. Don't move."  
  
The Carshy spun, laying back its ears as it gave a low growl, teeth snapping toward where the two women stood.  
  
"It's not after you," John said, eyes scanning his surroundings and spotting a cable that had once been used to help hold the screen in place. Glancing down, he noted that the Carshy was still distracted. Setting himself on the ladder, he dove for the cable, his momentum swinging him back toward the audience seating. He let himself drop, hitting the ground between the rows of chairs and hissing through is teeth as pain shot through him.  
  
"Gun!" He yelled as he raced toward Gwen, hearing the Carshy howl behind him.  
  
Gwen tossed him the weapon, John spinning just as the Carshy pounced. John's raised the weapon and fired on impulse, the Carshy screaming as it hit the ground and began pawing at its face. John fired again as it spun, the bullet catching it on its back leg, causing it to shriek again as it ran, disappearing behind the screen.  
  
John looked back, Gwen tossing him two more cartridges. John loaded the double barrels, limping down the aisles.  
  
"I can't believe you missed it at that range," Gwen said, drawing her gun as she and Tosh followed him.  
  
"Didn't miss,” he said, eyes scanning the long shadows as he carefully navigated his way around the screen. "Thick skin. It'll be hurting and will still possibly die, it'll just take time." He glanced back quickly. "You have to shoot them dead in the eye to kill them with one shot." He hefted the weapon. "Nice gun, by the way."  
  
They continued moving through the back stage area of the cinema, checking every shadow until Tosh spotted the blood trail. As they followed it, John glanced at them again.  
  
"Didn't take you long to find me."  
  
"Since we knew your original location, it didn't take long to lock onto your tracker," Tosh explained. "And since you were closer, we followed the signal until we found you."  
  
"Closer?" John looked at them. "You haven't found Ianto yet?"  
  
"Not yet," Gwen replied, a dark look on her face.  
  
John spotted it but chose to remain silent, following the blood trail until it ended at the back door, disappearing out into an alley. John lowered his weapon, scowling.  
  
"It'll probably keep running," he said, looking at the two women. "Well then. Let's go save Eye Candy."


	15. Chapter 15

Jack and Owen broke down the front door of the shop, no longer worried about hiding their presence. Like before, they made a sweep of the building, guns drawn as they searched every part of the house, and like before finding nothing. Entering the top level, Owen pointed toward the table.  
  
"There's the plans," Owen said, giving them the once over. "Looks like she's been watching the staff and taking notes on the appropriate time to get in."  
  
"Shame that won't happen." Jack grinned, reaching inside his pocket and drawing out a device. "How about we set up a nice trap up here, right in the nerve centre of her lair."  
  
"Why not."  
  
It took them all of five minutes to lay down the traps, the two of them turning and heading down the stairs. Jack programmed in the frequency of the devices, so that when they were triggered he'd know about it. Owen paused at the bottom of the stairs as he heard a noise.  
  
"Something's in the storeroom," he said softly.  
  
"There wasn't a minute ago," Jack whispered back, reaching once more for his gun. "You go left, I'll go right."  
  
Owen nodded his agreement, falling into step beside him as they took their positions as the door. Jack raised his hand, ticking off a count of three before kicking open the door, the two leaping through. There was a burst of light, the guns becoming hot in the hands and falling to the ground.  
  
Blinking back their blindness, Owen swore as he realised he was in some sort of energy cage, not unlike the one he had used on Carys, and glancing to the side saw Jack in a similar situation. Hearing a woman's laughter, they looked around.  
  
"So this is the infamous Torchwood."  
  
The woman stepped into the light, and Owen had to admit she was beautiful. Not too tall, dark hair, large brown eyes on almost flawless skin. The Plasmavore certainly knew how to choose the lookers, that was for sure. She looked between them, smiling faintly.  
  
"I know why you're here," she said, her voice smooth and controlled, not giving anything away yet filled with an almost seductive edge. "You were contacted by those other two and have been helping them. I'm sure they have been dealt with by now."  
  
"Let us out now," Jack hissed. "We've already put a stop to your plans."  
  
"I assumed as much." She turned her back on him, wandering across to Owen and gazing at him. "And who might you be, handsome?"  
  
Owen glared at her. "Doctor Owen Harper."  
  
"A doctor, hm?"  
  
She pressed a button on a remote, the lights of the shielding vanishing. Owen took a step toward the door, only to have a well place foot hit behind his knees, sending him down onto them. The Plasmavore grabbed a fistful of his hair, twisting it and yanking his head back painfully.  
  
"Human's are so unstable," she commented, bending down to whisper in his ear. "So much fun though. Now, Doctor Harper, you must know a good deal about blood."  
  
"I've seen more than enough," he said, shooting a look toward where Jack was glaring daggers at the woman. "Now, how about just letting me go and–"  
  
"Oh, there will be no letting anyone go." She reached into her pocket, drawing out a straw, Owen's eyes widening as he noted that one end had been shaped. "What sort of blood do you have, Doctor?"  
  
Owen gasped as she pulled his head back, plunging the straw into his jugular, out of the corner of his eye watching as she bent down and started to suck. He breathed Jack's name, trying to tug free but finding she still had a firm grip on him.  
  
He slowly felt his strength fading away with every suck she made on that straw, a nauseas feeling washing over him at the little noises she made. Abruptly she drew back, chuckling and smacking her lips together.  
  
"Hm. You've had a beer within the last 24 hours, and seem to be lacking iron in your diet. As a doctor, you should know better." She tugged the straw free, Owen wincing slightly at the sharp pain. She caught his jaw, tilting his chin up and kissing him, Owen trying to jerk back as he tasted his own blood on her lips.  
  
She laughed as he threw himself back, falling when she abruptly let him go. Owen pulled himself to his knees, glaring as he realised that she had turned his cell back on. He tested the walls, hissing as a mild electrical shock shot through him. He angrily wiped the blood from his mouth, looking up sharply as she spoke again.  
  
"Look who it is." She stopped in front of Jack's cell, grinning up at him. "Your old partner has been causing me a lot of trouble. He goes by the name of John Hart these days. What name do you go by?"  
  
"Captain Jack Harkness," he replied.  
  
"Another Captain," she said, laughing. "You humans amuse me so."  
  
"John and I stopped working together long before he was told to hunt you down," Jack said, glaring at her through the glowing shield. "I had nothing to do with you."  
  
"But everyone knew you, Jack. The shining boy of the Time Agency. The one who could never do wrong." She eyed him. "What went wrong? Last I heard you had quit and began working freelance, trying to con the Agency out of every last credit."  
  
"They should have never crossed me," he said. "Let us go. We're just protecting the city. Let us go and leave, and we won't bother you."  
  
"Too late for that." She smiled at him. "He came here for your help, him and his cute new partner. You're involved, so I'm afraid that this is where it ends, although..." She smiled, pressing the button to switch off the cell and grabbing Jack in the same grip she had Owen, a quick move to the back of Jack's legs sending him to his knees. "I've heard the word, Captain, about your connections."  
  
He glared at her. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"The Time Lord." She twisted her fingers harder in his hair, causing him to hiss. "The Doctor. You're a friend of his." She brought her lips close to his, studying him. "You're the immortal one. The one killed by the Daleks and brought back to life."  
  
Jack frowned. "How can you..."  
  
"Word spreads quickly about the Doctor's companions." She yanked his head back, the straw plunging into his vein before he could react. "The Doctor and this planet were responsible for the death of my friend."  
  
"I wasn't with him at the time," Jack pointed out.  
  
"Maybe not," she said, leaning in, smiling as her lips touched the straw. "But I'm sure you'll make interesting bait. Not to mention a never ending food supply."  
  
****  
  
Last time he had been here was a year-and-a-half ago, when Torchwood had closed the factory down for manufacturing little robotic dolls with an alien twist that came to life and proceeded to rob the person who had bought them. He had taken a gamble that the old factory was still empty, and was relieved to find that it was.  
  
Ianto scanned the interior, noting that most of the non-confiscated equipment still sat around covered in sheets and police tape. He pushed the door closed behind him, clicking the lock before moving further inside. If he recalled correctly, the shifty owner had a stash of weapons in his office that they had left, intending only to clear them out if the place ever sold.  
  
He took the steps up into the office two at a time, pushing the door open and stepping inside. Giving the office a quick once over, he pushed the desk aside and knelt, flipping up the carpet and praying to himself that the others hadn't raided the stash while hunting Weevils. Tugging open the hidden door, he gazed inside and let out a sigh of relief.  
  
Three of the handguns were gone and one of the rifles, but the rest of the stash was still there. He reached in, picking up a rifle and inspecting it. After confirming it was still in good working order, he picked up a box of rounds and flipped the trapdoor shut. He stood, setting himself down on the edge of the desk and loading the rifle, snapping it closed and smiling.  
  
He looked up sharply at the sound of breaking glass, quickly pocketing the box of shells and crossing to the window, parting the venetian blinds and gazing out over the lot. He narrowed his eyes, scanning the dusty work floor and stopping when he spotted the dark shape following his trail.  
  
He set his jaw, stepping toward the door and parting it. He raised the rifle, setting the Carshy in his sights and waiting for it to clear the machinery. His finger tightened on the trigger, squeezing the moment he had a clear shot.  
  
The Carshy threw itself back with a sharp cry as it was hit, spinning toward him snarling. Ianto managed to fire off another shot before it could dart to the side, then ducked back into the room and closed the door. He quickly stepped around the desk and pushing it over and up against the door.  
  
He moved to the window, glancing out it again, looking for the Carshy as he fished out two more bullets and reloaded the gun. He looked up sharply at the sound of pounding up the metal stairs, his eyes widening at the window crashed in and the Carshy landed on the desk, red eyes flashing toward him before it pounced.  
  
The Carshy hit him full on the chest, sending Ianto hard into the window behind him. The glass managed to hold for a few seconds before cracking, Ianto finding himself falling backwards before he hit the concrete hard, the wind rushing out of his lungs. The Carshy let out a cry as it landed beside him, the rifle flying from his fingers to slide across the ground.  
  
Ianto gasped at the air, struggling to breathe as he forced himself up. He shot a look at the Carshy as it staggered to its feet, clearly as stunned as he was by the fall. He scrambled to his feet, eyes landing on a nearby air duct and crawling toward it, glass falling from his person as he went. He quickly tugged off the cover, pulling himself in and sealing himself inside.  
  
He carefully pulled himself further along, chasing back the memories of doing something similar at Canary Warf. He paused a little way in to carefully pry a shard of glass from his back, hissing as he tossed it aside and knowing there were probably more shards imbedded in him.  
  
There was a loud bang as the Carshy slammed itself against the cover, bending it inward. Ianto closed his eyes, letting out a shaky breath and forcing back the pain before continuing to move. He followed the vent around the corner, eyes widening and glancing back as the banging stopped, a scampering sound now coming in its place accompanied by the grating of nails on metal.  
  
"Oh god," he breathed, quickening his pace as the scampering came closer, and glancing back again he spotted the shining eyes of the Carshy as it squeezed its bulky frame through the vent behind him. Setting his eyes forward, he spotted the glow of another vent and quickly pulled himself toward it. Reaching it, his panic rose as he tried to shove it free, dragging himself up so he could knee it hard.  
  
The cover burst off with a clatter, Ianto dragging himself out and staggering to his feet, eyes landing at once on the rifle. He rushed toward it, snatching it up off the ground before slowly approaching the vent, setting his jaw as the paws of the Carshy appeared.  
  
As it began to pry itself out he pulled the trigger, catching it just to the side of its face. It instantly began to back-pedal, dragging itself back into the vent as he fired again just as it disappeared, the bullet ricocheting off the vent with a spark.  
  
Ianto scowled, reaching for his pocket only to freeze as he found it empty. He swore, checking the other one and feeling his panic rising as he realised he'd lost the box of cartridges. He spun, trying to spot them and seeing nothing, freezing when he finally looked back at the grate. The Carshy was sitting, watching, its lips curling back in a snarl as it seemed to sense his fear.  
  
Ianto tossed the useless weapon aside and broke into a run, knowing there was no way he would be able to make it to the office to retrieve another box in time. He sprinted for the door, hearing the Carshy's yowl as it sprang from the vent and began dashing after him.  
  
Knowing he had to defend himself somehow, Ianto spotted a pile of scrap metal the workers had used to melt down for parts to build the inner workings of the dolls. He snatched up a long metal pole, most likely once part of a road sign and spun, facing the Carshy as it leapt up onto the machinery, closing the distance even faster.  
  
Somewhere to his left the door burst open, Ianto hearing someone scream his name but he was focussed ahead, gripping the bar in two hands as the Carshy pounced. He slammed the pole backward into the rest of the scrap for support before dropping to his knees, angling the other end toward the beast before closing his eyes and waiting for the impact.  
  
He felt the jolt in the metal, but when no other movement came he opened his eyes, looking up to find the Carshy hanging above him. It continued to snarl at him, slowing trying to force its way down the metal that had imbedded itself into its chest, only for the light to fade from its eyes.  
  
As the beast slumped, Ianto let go of the pole and scrambled backward, clutching his chest as he continued to fight the air back into his still winded and panicked body. He heard running steps and looked up sharply, spotting Tosh racing toward him. She threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly.  
  
"Oh my god," she breathed, sitting back as she realised he was bleeding. "You're hurt!"  
  
"I'm fine," he said, patting her arm and giving her a small smile. "Been worse."  
  
"You've certainly got balls, Eye Candy." John says, extending a hand.  
  
Ianto took it, allowing the other man to pull him to his feet. Ianto frowned, having noticed John's limp. "You okay?"  
  
John looked down at his bloodied leg. "Bastard got a grip on my leg. I shot it with a couple of those bullets, but it got away on me." He nodded toward him. "You?"  
  
"Knocked me out the window." Ianto nodded up toward the office. "There's a stash of weapons up there. Anyway, that's another one down."  
  
"Two to you, none to me." John smiled tightly. "I'm starting to think you're a natural at this. If the Time Agency still existed I'd be trying to talk you into joining up."  
  
"I'd pass," Ianto said with a smile, patting Tosh's hand that still clutched his arm. He spotted a movement, finally seeing the other woman. "Gwen."  
  
"Ianto," she said, a flare of anger in her voice.  
  
He sighed, fighting to keep from rolling his eyes as he realised that she was probably still pissed off about Jack. He looked down at Tosh. "Where are Jack and Owen?"  
  
"They went after the Plasmavore," she replied. "They were going to check her base and set up some booby traps if she wasn't there, then call us once they were done." She paused, frowning and looking at Gwen. "In fact, they should have called by now."  
  
"Okay," Gwen said, taking out her phone and dialling Jack's number. There was a long pause, Gwen lowering the phone. "No answer. We need to get over there."


	16. Chapter 16

If Owen remembered correctly, the cells didn't last very long. Jack had finally come around a few minutes ago, a hand going straight to his throat only to swear as he accidentally touched the wall of the cell. The Plasmavore had chuckled, going back to her work at the table, no doubt continuing on with her plan for the nuclear facility.  
  
Jack slowly eased himself up, Owen noting that having all the blood sucked out of him obviously took a lot out of him, but checked it off his mental list of ways Jack could die and still come back to life. At least, all the ways that Owen had heard about. If anything, Jack had been out of it for almost half-an-hour, just long enough for Owen to start thinking he wasn't coming back.  
  
"You should just give it up, you know," Jack said, watching the Plasmavore. "There's no way any of your plans will work."  
  
"And why's that?" She asked, not bothering to turn around.  
  
"There's no way the Doctor would ever come running to save me," Jack said. "He never does come running. I'm immortal. He knows I'll be fine." He nodded toward her work. "As for your plans for causing a meltdown at the nuclear facility, that won't work either."  
  
"Really." She turned to look at him. "And why, pray tell, is that?"  
  
"Because we discovered your little plan yesterday," Jack said, smirking. "John and Ianto have already alerted the facility, who have taken al the necessary measures to make sure it fails."  
  
She slammed her fists down on the table, standing. "Bastards. How could they have found out so fast?"  
  
"That's Torchwood for you, Sweetheart," Owen said, grinning. "Always one step ahead of the bad guys."  
  
She spun to look at him, mouth opening only to close as there came a whimper. She gaped as the Carshy staggered in, rushing over to inspect it as it fell at her feet. "What happened to you?" She frowned, looking closer. "Silver and gryonite." She growled. "I will kill them. This time I will suck every last drop of blood from the pair of them."  
  
Owen frowned as he saw the cell flicker, and threw Jack a look and gestured. Jack nodded, giving him a quick thumbs up to say that he had noticed it as well. A second later the flicker came stronger, the Plasmavore looking up sharply, narrowing her eyes.  
  
"So, it would appear that the power cells are expiring." She picked up the straw, moving toward Owen. "I guess that means I get to kill you now." She looked back at the Carshy, pointing toward Jack. "Watch him."  
  
"Um.... can't we talk about this," Owen said, sliding as far back toward the rear of the cell as he could, wishing it would hurry up and die so he could make a break for the exit. "I mean, you said so yourself – lacking iron. Can't taste that good. Maybe throw me back. You know, wait for me to get some iron into me."  
  
Jack sniggered.  
  
"Or she could just surrender."  
  
They turned to spot Gwen in the door, gun raised and pointed at the other woman. They watched as Tosh stepped in behind her, the Plasmavore growling as John and Ianto stepped in next, rifles in their hands. The Carshy stood, growling and shifting toward them.  
  
"You want it?" John asked, glancing at Ianto.  
  
"I got the last two," he replied. "Only fair you get the last one."  
  
"Suit yourself."  
  
John raised his rifle, aiming dead between the Carshy's eyes and firing. It slumped to the ground, the Plasmavore straightening. At that moment the shielding failed, Owen quickly dashing across to where the others stood. Jack was slower, still recovering as he stepped away, watching her.  
  
"It's over," John said, grinning. "Been a nice hunt and all that, but I think it's time you admitted it was over."  
  
"Oh, it's far from over." She pulled a device from her pocket, grinning. "You're not the only one who can manipulate the Rift, Hart."  
  
Ianto looked at the device, then at John. "She can't, can she?"  
  
"With that she can. Remember that Agent I told you she stole the wrist strap from? That’s what she did to it." John reached into his pocket and snagged his handgun, firing off a shot only to have her duck to the side, grabbing Jack.  
  
"I'm leaving," she said, watching them. "And nobody is going to stop me, because despite him being immortal I doubt any of you have it in you to shoot him."  
  
The Plasmavore hit the button, Gwen jumping as her PDA began to beep. She snagged it out, eyes widening as Tosh leaned over her shoulder. "There's Rift activity," Gwen said, looking up sharply. "She's activating the Rift!"  
  
"Shoot her," Jack said, fighting to free himself. "Just shoot her."  
  
All raised their weapons, aiming at the Plasmavore as the golden glow of the Rift began to thread its way through the room. Gwen let out a gasp, lowering her gun, Tosh soon following.  
  
"I can't," Gwen said. "We can't."  
  
"Like I said," the Plasmavore laughed. "None of you."  
  
Jack fixed his gaze on one, setting his jaw. "Do it." He hissed through his teeth, fighting her grip and knowing he would fail. "Ianto!"  
  
They jumped at the gunshot, the silence that followed deafening as Jack and the Plasmavore collapsed to the ground. Ianto gasped, the rifle falling from his hands as he stared wide-eyed at Jack. The others watched him as tears welled in his eyes, his jaw clenching.  
  
"Bastard," he hissed. "Fucking bastard."  
  
"Ianto, mate," Owen said, reaching for Ianto only for him to step out of reach, crossing the room to kneel beside Jack.  
  
"He didn't give you much of a choice," John agreed.  
  
Ianto pulled Jack up, cradling him against him and smoothing his coat, glaring down at him and tightening his hold when Jack gasped, flaying back into consciousness.  
  
"Never make me do that again," Ianto hissed. "Never, _ever_ , make me do that again."  
  
Jack nodded, looking up at him. He frowned when he spotted the tears, reaching up to gently brush them away before returning Ianto's crushing embrace. "I'm sorry."


	17. Chapter 17

"So," Jack said, standing beside the Bentley and watching as John tossed the last of his things onto the back seat. "Where you off to now?"  
  
"Contemplating getting off this rock, actually." John glanced up toward the clear night sky. "It's just wet, cold, and wet. I've never been to a place so dull."  
  
"You could always try Australia," Ianto said as he joined them, holding out John's sword. "They're in a drought."  
  
"No rain?" John asked, looking at him.  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Australia it is then." He grinned, looking Ianto over. "You're not coming with me, then."  
  
Ianto shook his head. "I figure I've travelled enough for now. If I'm going to have to deal with aliens, I might as well do it where I have decent, reliable back up."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Jack laughed, looking from one to the other. "You two get along pretty well now, don't you?"  
  
"Good enough for a threesome?" John asked.  
  
Ianto rolled his eyes.  
  
"What?" Jack nudged him. "Don't tell me you haven't considered it."  
  
"Can we at least work out our relationship before bringing in a third wheel?" Ianto said.  
  
John shot him a look. "What, and suddenly I'm a third wheel?"  
  
"Enough." Jack continued to chuckle, nodding toward John. "Are you going to be right with the leg?"  
  
"It'll heal." John said. "Just a scratch. You know how quickly I heal from those." He spotted Ianto's raised eyebrow and shot him a glare. "Gun shot wounds don't count, Eye Candy. I still haven't forgiven you for that."  
  
Jack smirked, "You probably deserved it."  
  
"He did," Ianto confirmed.  
  
John glared at him, before casting his gaze around. "So, rest of the team not going to see me off?"  
  
"Tosh took Owen home," Jack said. "He needs a good rest after having almost half his blood drained out of him. Gwen is finalising the clean up and then going home to make sure Rhys isn't still surfing the internet for unexplained deaths that could be caused by the Plasmavore."  
  
"Ah."  
  
"So what are you going to do now?" Ianto asked. "I don't believe you're just going to travel."  
  
"I'm more than capable of taking a holiday." He shot him a smile. "No promises about staying out of trouble though."  
  
"Doubt that you could," Ianto deadpanned.  
  
John laughed, nodding toward him. "So, you’re officially a member of Torchwood again?"  
  
Ianto blinked, looking at Jack.  
  
Jack raised an eyebrow. "Your call, Ianto. We simply set your status to 'inactive'. Say the word and you're a full time member on active duty again."  
  
"I'd like that," Ianto said, then frowned. "But don't expect me to go back to cleaning up everyone's messes."  
  
"I think we have that covered," Jack said. "Full roster system. We'll just add you onto it." He winked at him. "I fully expect to see the coffee machine back in action, though."  
  
"Why was it out of action?" John asked. He pointed toward Ianto. "Don't tell me he was right in saying the rest of you lot are completely incompetent."  
  
"He said what?" Jack asked.  
  
Ianto shrugged it off.  
  
"Well," John reached out, closing the boot. "I better hit the road. Can't stand to be in this place any longer than I have to." He looked up. "You two going to be okay?"  
  
Jack looked at Ianto and smiled. "We'll work things out."  
  
"As long as it takes," Ianto agreed, meeting Jack's eye and returning the smile. "I think he's learnt his lesson."  
  
"If he hasn't, give me a call." John slapped him on the back. "I enjoy your company."  
  
"Hey." Jack shot him a half-hearted glare. "Hands off. I had him first. You're always trying to steal my lovers."  
  
"Yet somehow you always ended up stealing mine." John stepped closer, hugging Jack who returned him, John placing a quick kiss on his lips before stepping back and turning to Ianto. "Well, it's been fun."  
  
"That's one way of putting it," Ianto agreed.  
  
"I'm serious, you know." John gestured to Jack. "You ever want away from him again, call me. I'll always be there."  
  
"I'll probably call you, but only to make sure you're not in too much trouble," Ianto said.  
  
John shot him a grin, catching Ianto's face in his hands and kissing him deep. Ianto returned it, nibbling teasingly on John's lower lip and having his own nipped at in return. John pulled back, tossing a look to the side and smirking.  
  
"Well then, that should make him jealous."  
  
Ianto looked up and spotted the glare Jack was giving John and had to laugh. "I'd say so."  
  
"Take care." John stepped back, moving toward the car and opening the door, pausing to look up once more. "Both of you. And stay out of trouble yourselves. Seems like every time I'm here the worlds trying to end."  
  
"That's just you," Jack countered.  
  
John tossed him a wink, climbing into the Bentley. They watched as he gunned the engine, planting the boot and jolting the car forward. He peeled it out of the car park, taking the corner sideways before disappearing down the street.  
  
"Does he have the traction control off?" Jack asked.  
  
"He never has it on," Ianto said, sighing.  
  
"Sounds like him." Jack chuckled, offering Ianto his arm and grinning when Ianto accepted, hooking their elbows together. Jack twisted his hand, finding Ianto's and knitting their fingers together as they started back toward the Hub.  
  
"Well," Jack said, smiling at Ianto. "We better get back to work."


End file.
